Turn Me Green, Kiss Me Pink
by Curry Spice
Summary: In the spring of 1976, the decieving Charisma Gillman arrives at Hogwarts and has James Potter wrapped around her finger, with Lily Evans ready to pounce. When she leaves, will they go back to being friends? Other MWPP romances too!!
1. Invitations to a ball

Chapter - 1

"Lily!" Angela yelled playfully, looking at the maroon mess that was once her beautiful toes. Lily's hand had shook as she completed the work at hand and the nail polish had spilt all over her toes. She raised her face to the ceiling and threw her arms up as well, and with mock plea, "What have I done to deserve this?" 

"Thou madeth the mistaketh of asking _Lily _to paint your nails." answered James Potter who happened to be walking by. He laughed along with Isabella and Angela and made himself comfortable by sinking into a pouf next to Isabella and the fire, across from Lily who was glaring at him. 

Sirius Black followed suit and dragged one in between Isabella and Lily. He kept himself busy by pointing his wand at the back of Isabella's head and giving her curly black locks florescent green and pink streaks. He caught James' eye and they flashed each other mischievous grins while the others weren't looking. Isabella in the meantime had stopped laughing at Angela's expense and was absent-mindedly stroking Sirius's own black, smooth hair, with one hand, the other scrawling away at her potions homework that was perched on her lap atop her textbook. Sirius put away his wand and leaned his head on her armchair's arm. At this act, James, Angela and Lily all raised their eyebrows at him. He smiled, closed his eyes and with an uplifted countenance, mouthed the words 'feels nice' while the others stifled laughs. James looked around at them all.

"Where's Remus?" he asked no one in particular.

"He's doing his homework up in the dormitory, he'll be down right about now." said Angela automatically, shuffling around, looking for tissues. She found some but they were no use, the nail polish was already half dry. Remus was then spotted walking down the steps from the fifth year boys' dormitory. Sirius looked at Angela in awe.

"Damn, Angie. Professor Owens was right, you _do_ have a great inner eye!" he said.

"Thank you for the compliment, dumbass, but Remus told me he'd be going up there about ten minutes ago." She looked at everyone irritably after trying stupidly to scratch the color off, "Do you guys have nail polish remover?"

"Oh yeah, a whole bottle full on top of my dresser." James answered sincerely.

"Right next to his nose strips and toner." Remus added as he sat down on the floor, leaning against Angela's chair since she was the only one who sat with her feet not touching the floor but on the chair.

"I take that as a no…" she answered with a sigh, rubbing the tissues against her toes, causing them to tear within seconds. The remains went flying and eventually ended up on Remus' head. He wiped them off, turned around and with a simple incantation and a flick of his wand, the polish was gone in seconds. She thanked him and tried to paint them all over again, this time, using the back of his head as foot support, and as he had nowhere else to sit, he was forced to comply. The common room was unusually crowded today.

"Why are there so many people here?" he asked. 

"Didn't you hear Dumbledore's announceme- wait, no, you weren't there. Is your mother feeling better?" Lily asked, looking at Remus, concerned.

"Mother?" he asked puzzled for a second. A pointed look from James and Sirius told him that had been their excuse for his disappearance. "Oh yeah. Well, she's really sick right now, I don't remember what the doctors said she had but they _did_ say that it probably won't go away for a while. My parents have made arrangements with Dumbledore so I can visit her once a month until she's feeling better…" the girls nodded, "So why is it so crowded?"

"Oh, at dinner, Dumbledore announced that this year it's Hogwart's one thousand, two hundredth anniversary, and he's throwing a ball on April 16th. The theme is supposed to be something about how life would be without magic, so we have to wear muggle clothing and stuff… the common room's crowded 'cause everyone's so excited…" Lily answered, looking ecstatic.

"Is that why you're painting your nails…a week in advance…?" he asked Angela with an amused expression.

"Oh please, I could care less about my toenails. I'm painting them because they're getting brittle and it looks nasty, I'm just covering them up…"

"Coming from the girl who could care less…" muttered James.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, I said 'good explanation'…"

"My scalp itches…" said Isabella after a moment of silence.

"And the only solution is to scratch Sirius', right?" Lily answered. They laughed as Isabella blushed and muttered something about thinking it was her dog at which Sirius answered he would willingly be, if she continued with her previous occupation. She pushed his head away from her chair, gave way to temptation, and violently scratched her head. As she scratched, a large amount of fine metallic green and pink glitter came off, showering her and Sirius who was nearest. Assuming that Sirius had placed it there, she smacked him and started brushing her hair on top of his head so he was covered with the glitter.

"Hey! I didn't do anything!!" he yelled indignantly, catching a mouthful.

"Great, now I have to wash my hair!" she said in mock anger. And she stood up and closed her book, folding her homework inside it.

"Its about time!" he yelled after her as she ascended the stairs towards the bathroom.

-:- -:- -:-

"So what was Lily saying about some ball…?" Remus asked a few hours later in the boy's dormitory. He sat on the edge of his bed, slipped off his slippers and lay down on it, he was very tired. Sirius was reading the most recent volume of the 'Fifer the Fearless' comic/adventure magazine, sitting on the floor with his back to his bed. James was putting away his invisibility cloak that he had just used on a trip to the kitchen. Peter was lying on his bed, trying to sleep. Apparently, he was unsuccessful.

"When?" he asked, sitting up. He always had one paranoid thought in his head; he was being left out. "Where was I?" he added almost accusingly.

"At the library, remember?" answered James, looking at him with a curious expression.

"Oh yeah, what were you saying?" he said, his face coloring slightly.

"Lily was saying something about a muggle ball we're having next week…" Remus continued.

"Yeah, its supposed to celebrate Hogwarts twelve-hundredth anniversary or something like that…" Sirius had finally shut his book, put it away and was lying down on his four-poster.

"Don't we dance and stuff at balls?" asked Remus. The others looked at him with 'oh yeah' expressions on their faces.

"That's right, we need dates." Remus was looking at the others with his eyebrows raised, an amused expression at how thick-headed they were.

"That didn't occur to me…" James observed, thinking, "We were up last night looking up you-know-what….we're tired" he seemed to need to justify his answer.

"I'm the one who should be worried, you guys can ask whoever you want to go with you…" said self-pitying Peter sadly.

The other three looked at each other with mild pity. All three were over five foot nine, lean, muscular, and quite handsome at this point, though Peter was a good five inches shorter and a bit more than chubby. Remus, James, and Sirius were all powerful wizards, which was evident if you looked at their grades, they would be competing for head-boy. As to _his_ magical abilities, he was little more than a muggle. "Aww, don't worry about it, just ask whoever you want." Sirius replied kindly. This seemed to assure Peter because they dropped the subject and went to bed after their other two fellow Gryffindors joined them.

-:- -:- -:-

ok, sorry about such a pathetic chapter, I have a lot of work to do, school just started and I'm not going to have much time to write in the future. The point to this so called chapter was to introduce the main characters and their current relationships with each other… please review and if you feel you want to sample a bit more of my pathetic writing, read my other story, "Harry Potter and the Power Pendants" and review that too please…until next time, 

Ruby 


	2. Hogsmeade

-:- -:- -:-

"I don't like these… they're all so old and just…. I dunno… 'eww' I guess…I'll have mum order something for me." Isabella whispered. Angela nodded and ran her hand along an old-fashioned blue gown covered with lace. The manager at Gladrags had enthusiastically shown them into the back room where they'd just received a shipment of Muggle formal attire, ordered especially for the upcoming ball at Hogwarts.  They smiled at him now and a small bell rang, calling him to another customer.

"Honestly, that looks like a hospital gown." Isabella added in a normal tone once he'd left their side. They examined a long, hideous frilly dress that was as shapeless as a muumuu. The manager was observing them keenly now that his other customer had gone.

"I think Granny used to wear the pink version to bed back in her glamorous days." Angela remarked thoughtfully. Isabella stifled a laugh and they quickly made their way out of the shop when the manager had turned his back. They walked along the high street and stopped in front of Honeyduke's where an employee was handing out samples of their newest chocolate. Isabella and Angela both took a handful and popped one into their mouths.

"Mmm… these are great. Forget it, I'm not saving any for Lily." said Isabella, stuffing a few more into her mouth.

"Yeah. I can't believe she didn't come. As if she even has to study for that Charms test. She'll ace it anyway!" Angela said while throwing her chocolates into her bag.

"She doesn't need to study for anything, let alone Charms." Isabella agreed, "I mean, it's the last Hogsmeade trip before the ball, you'd think she'd want to shop around. Oooh look! It's Daniel Brady, he's so cute… look, look, he's coming our way!" she exclaimed excitedly, completely changing topic. Angela looked around and spotted the Ravenclaw sixth-year walking towards them and smiling at her. He stopped to stare at the shop's display window, ran a hand through his dark blond hair and winked at his reflection before continuing their way. Isabella giggled and Angela snorted.

"Hey ladies…" he said in his usual cocky tone, a confident smile on his face.

"Hey Danny, what's up?" Isabella returned with a flirtatious smile. Angela, put out by his arrogance, settled for a cold smile. He turned to her.

"So Angela, you got a date for that ball yet?" he asked, widening his smile. 

"No…" She raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Well how about going with Yours Truly, eh?" he winked. Angela resisted the urge to slap him and ignored the appraising look Isabella shot her.

"Nah, I don't think so." she replied flatly. Isabella gaped at her and Daniel looked like he'd been punched.

"What? Why?" he asked, looking worried.

"Yeah, why?" Isabella demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh you know, you're just not my type. See you Monday Danny." she added, grabbing Isabella's arm and pulling her away back towards the end of the street. Isabella stopped and turned to her when they were a few stores away.

"What was that? Why didn't you say yes?" she asked, looking astonished. 

"Because he's annoying and full of crap. If he takes me to the ball, I'll end up punching him several times before the night ends. Therefore, I did it for his own safety." she replied, beginning to walk again.

"Yeah, right. You don't plan on turning down everyone who asks you, do you?" she asked is a hopeless tone.

"So what if I do?" Angela's obstinate side kicked in.

"What, are you going to sit back wait for _Remus_?" Isabella started, knowing that this was a sore spot.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Angela answered mildly; she wouldn't allow herself to get worked up by Isabella's tactless comments.

"You know what I mean. Listen, Angie, no offense but what if he doesn't ask you? You know how he is, it always seems like he'll do something but then everything changes… he's weird around you…" Isabella said carefully.

"What do you mean, 'weird'? He'll ask me. I know he will." she added stubbornly in response.

"You don't know that!! No… I mean…" she sighed at the murderous look Angela shot her, "I mean… Oh Angela, I really hope he does and all but why are you so bloody confident? Did he tell you anything?"

"No."

"Then why? Ugh! I don't understand you! I don't get why you like Remus. He's so.. so… he makes you so miserable! You should just screw Remus and find someone else to like. A lot of guys like you and-"

"Izzy!" Angela interrupted exasperatedly, "Will you just drop it? I'm not in the mood to talk about my pathetic love life."

"But-!"

"No! I don't need guys falling over me all the time, Izzy! I'm not _you_!"

"What are you trying to say?" Isabella cried heatedly.

Angela opened her mouth to yell something offensive but instead she sighed. "Forget it. Just… let's not talk about this."

"Fine." Isabella said shortly. They walked in silence past the Apothecary, the local Hog's Head Inn, and past Dervish & Bang's joke shop where Sirius, James and Peter waved to them. Both Sirius and James carried a small bag of merchandise while Peter was laden with five, most of which were probably his friends' purchases. Isabella shook her head at them when they started making rude gestures at the manager behind his back and was just about to comment when she realized Angela wasn't next to her. She looked around and spotted her up ahead, walking past the last store. She caught up with her.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously, watching her stare into space.

"Hmm?" Angela started and looked around as though she was lost. "Oh… I dunno…"

Isabella raised an eyebrow and turned to the direction in which she had been gazing. She frowned as she spotted Remus standing about twenty feet uphill, facing the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted house in England. 

"Go on then." she stated, giving Angela a mocking look.

"What?"

"Go talk to him. Maybe he'll ask you to the ball now." she added sardonically. Angela narrowed her eyes.

"Do you honestly call yourself a friend after you say things like that? Aren't you supposed to support me through all?" she asked, injured.

"I'm not going to support you when you do stupid things. Forget about Remus, he's not right for you." Isabella said edgily. Angela grit her teeth and took a deep breath.

"And you know what's right for me, huh? You don't even know what _you_ want, Izzy, so don't think you do for me. I'm going to go talk to him, and I bet he'll ask me." 

"A galleon." Isabella challenged, crossing her arms over her chest smugly.

"I'll bet two." Angela replied haughtily before stomping up the hill towards Remus. She reached his side noisily and patted his arm.

"What's up?" she asked, reaching up to kiss his cheek ostentatiously. He blinked and looked a bit irritated, as though she had interrupted something. He sighed.

"Nothing really." he answered blandly, looking at the haunted house to see what havoc he'd wrecked two nights ago. Angela looked up at it too.

"I wonder how ghosts do so much damage to that thing? They can't even touch anything solid, let alone destroy a house." she said airily, not expecting an answer.

"Maybe it's not ghosts." he said quietly. She looked up at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Not ghosts? What else could it be? They say that they howl and scream like mad but no one sees them… they must be invisible." she argued, confused at how affected he looked at her words.

"Well how can ghosts do so much damage to that thing?" he retorted, repeating her first comment. She looked back at the Shrieking Shack thoughtfully.

"I don't know…. maybe… Maybe the house was abandoned or something, and then raided or robbed a long time ago, so _people_ damaged it… and then ghosts came to live in it. Yeah, so the house was already broken up and stuff before the ghosts got here." she answered ponderingly. 

He shook his head and peered hard at the second floor window where the panes were shattered completely and a broken shutter hung precariously, threatening to fall on anyone who got too close. "No. That's new, that window… it wasn't like that before…" he said distractedly and then immediately winced as if he'd said too much. He set his jaw and swallowed hard, his eyes darting around and then to her with a paranoid suspicion.

"Really? I dunno… hasn't it always been there?" she asked curiously, not noticing the sudden change in his manners. He shuffled his feet, brushing fallen leaves into a small pile in front of him, trying to find the best opportunity to get away.

"I don't know… Yeah you're right, it's always there." he said quickly, hoping that she'd just go away now. Instead, she walked a few steps ahead and narrowed her eyes in scrutiny at the window. He wiped sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand and swallowed again, knowing that she intended to stay. When she took another step forward, he turned to run as fast as his legs would carry him right back to where he'd left his friends but then noticed Isabella watching him intently from the foot of the hill. He casually pushed his sweaty hands into his pockets and strode down instead, looking nervously over his shoulder to make sure Angela didn't see him. He threw Isabella what he hoped was a winning smile as he passed, and broke into a run when she was well behind him.

"Actually… I think _you_ might be right. It does look new… do you come here often, then, if you can spot something like that?" Angela asked incredulously, surprised that anyone could find such a minor difference in the appearance of the Shrieking Shack without being told. He didn't answer so she backed up a few steps and turned around, 

"Remus…?" she asked and then stopped when there was no one behind her. She turned around again and realized she was alone on the hilltop. There was a pile of dried, dead leaves on the ground in front of her and she stomped on it, furious with herself for whatever she'd done wrong this time. Why had he gone? She had just thought of a way to ask him who he was taking to the ball, which would hopefully lead to his asking _her_ to the ball and he just left, sabotaging her plan. She looked to the bottom of the hill and saw Isabella giving her a worried look. Seething at being pitied, she trudged right down to where she stood, made as if to pass right by her and then stopped. She dug around in her pocket and threw something at Isabella, who caught it instinctively.

"There, happy?" she asked cynically before turning around and continuing back towards the castle. Isabella looked shocked and opened her palm to see two gold galleons glinting viciously. 

"Wait, Angie. Stop!" she called to the retreating figure, clenching her fist over the coins and pushing through the suddenly thick crowd towards her. She stopped when she'd lost her and, cursing loudly she turned around and came face to face with Remus, Sirius, Peter, and James. They stared at her when she stomped on an innocent ant.

"Did you see Angela?" she asked angrily and without preamble, looking daggers at Remus.

"She went that-a-way." James said cheerfully, pointing vaguely up ahead on the cobblestone path. Sirius looked curiously between her and Remus and Peter shifted some of the bags he was carrying.

"Yeah, she looked real miffed about something." Sirius commented warily.

"Hmm, I wonder why…What did you do this time?" she snapped at Remus. Without waiting for an answer, she turned around disgustedly and marched in the direction of the castle, determined to get back and find Angela. The four boys exchanged looks, taken aback and Remus avoided their eyes. 

"Well… that was uncalled for." 

-:- -:- -:-

Okay, I added this chapter in because I realized that in later chapters I don't make a lot of things clear between Remus and Angela. I hope this helped and that you enjoyed it.

Review!


	3. Picking dates

-:- -:- -:-

"Okay class, for homework tonight, I want you to draw a picture of a Muggle telephone and find a spell to make it unique. For example, you can make it move or change colors or whatever. Assignment due tomorrow." Professor Drake announced to the class. They had barely written it down when the bell rang.

"James, wait for me, I have to pack up…all my stuff fell out." Isabella called to James urgently.

"Uhuh," he replied in just the opposite tone. He picked up his bag and made his way out of the room, into the corridor and towards the staircase. He was almost there, when something forceful knocked into him, taking his breath away for a second. He was about to yell something rude to it when:

"Oh, I'm so sorry…" said a muffled voice from his chest. The figure stepped back to reveal a petite, pretty girl that he had never seen before. She took another step back, knocked into a burly seventh year and fell backwards onto the stone floor.  

"Its alright, I'm the one who wasn't watching." James answered, extending a hand to help her up, picking up her books and smiling all at the same time, "I'm actually glad I ran into someone as pretty as you. Your name is…?" she giggled a delicate, pretty laugh, took his hand and got to her feet.

"I'm Charisma Gillman and you're the infamous James Potter, no?" she asked, taking her books and piling them into her bag. "Captain of the Quidditch team, top of the class, excellent prankster, and, " she glanced at his smiling face, "one of the most eligible bachelors in the school…"

He laughed , "So…explain to me why I was denied the pleasure of meeting you sooner?" she smiled dazzlingly and opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by a voice coming from down the corridor.

"James, you stupid git, what happened to waiting for me after class?" asked an out of breath Isabella indignantly. Her hair was disheveled from the effort of trying to catch up with him. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath and turned to James again, "We have Divination next, right? Oh, hi Charisma." She added, looking at the girl. Charisma had been looking from James to Isabella with a puzzled look on her face but now she smiled and said hello.

"Sorry, Izzy. Fate thought it more important for me to meet this creature than wait for you, you must forgive them however." he said, directing his speech more towards Charisma than Isabella. 

"Oh brother," she answered, rolling her eyes, "C'mon James, Owens's will kill if we're late and we have to get to the North Tower. Charisma, do you have Divination now?"

"Nope, Ancient Runes, I'll see you later then…" she added as Isabella nodded to her and started pulling James towards the nearest staircase.

"Hold on, are you going to the Anniversary Ball with anyone?" he asked, looking back at her and pulling his hand out of Isabella's grasp.

"No…" she said raising her eyebrows and smiling.

"Well, now you are, I guess I'll see you later." she waved and walked towards her next class and he stood looking after her until Isabella pulled him up the steps with a forceful 'C'mon'. 

"We…are…. so….late…." Isabella panted. They had just stepped onto the top floor landing and she clutched at her side, they had run up the whole way thanks to James. He walked up to the trapdoor, pulled down the ladder and gestured for her to go first. She frowned and shook her head. With a resigned sigh, he climbed up the ladder with her behind him and opened the trapdoor.

"Now pour the wax into the dish and… you're ten minutes late Mr. Potter, Ms. Rey, thirty points from Gryffindor. Sit down and your neighbor will tell you what to do." They walked over to one of two large round tables and sat next to their friends. 

"Did something happen at Muggle Studies?" Remus asked curiously. 

"James here was just picki-"

"Another ten points! I will not tolerate anymore disruptions from you Rey." Professor Owens growled at them. They went back to copying notes.

-:- -:- -:-

"Izzy?" 

"Hmm?" she answered, taking one of Lily's knights.

"Can you stop scratching your head? The glitters everywhere, look at my Potions essay, its practically pasted on. And why don't you get rid of those streaks already!!" Lily said, trying to brush the shimmer off her assignment unsuccessfully.

"But, I like them! The glitter is going away…" she answered defensively.

"Yeah, sure…are you going to the ball with anyone or are we going as a group?" Lily asked her friends.

"There are only three days left, right?" asked Angela, finally snapping out of her reveries.

"Yeah, I'm getting worried, my mother hasn't sent me the dress I had her order for me yet…" Isabella said with a sigh.

"Really? Mine came yesterday." Lily put in.

"Yeah mine too…" Angela added.

"So did mine." said a voice from behind them. Sirius, grinning like a chesire cat, was standing behind Isabella's chair. He moved up and whispered something into her ears. Her face lit up, she moved her chess piece, declared 'checkmate' and he received a smack from Lily. They laughed and he sat down on a pouf next to the fire.

"Hey, who are you going to the ball with?" Isabella asked him. Lily and Angela noticed her biting her lip thoughtfully.

"You, you prat." he said. He turned and smiled at her angelically and she narrowed her eyes.

"Shouldn't you have asked first? What, you just assumed no one else would ask me?" She said in mock indignation, ignoring the insult.

"Hmmm… I don't know. What is it that boyfriends do again?" he asked, tapping his chin in exaggerated thoughtfulness. "Besides, who else would put up with you? It's a hard task, but someone's gotta do it…" he wiped fake sweat off his forehead. "Hey, Remus!! Who're you taking to the ball??" he yelled across the room to where a figure was tying a letter to an owl. He turned around when he heard his name and walked over to them. 

"I dunno… Angie doesn't have a date, right? I suppose I could go with her?" he sighed, more a statement than an answer.

"As insulting and unenthusiastic as that was, alright." she answered after blushing a pale pink. She shot Isabella a triumphant look before closing her Divination book with a snap and suddenly picking up her crystal ball, she was the only one who actually bought one for herself. Isabella shook her head faintly but smiled nonetheless.

"Great, James can take Lily and we can just go as a group!" Sirius said happily.

"Romeo's already got a date. That's why we were late for Divination, he spent ten minutes asking that new girl, Charisma, out." Isabella said with a grimace. They all looked at Lily, as though expecting her to burst into tears.

"Its okay, if no one asks me, I'll just go by myself." she said with a smile. Peter, who was sitting at a nearby pouf, not in their semi circle but close enough to hear what they were saying, suddenly reddened. He looked away when Remus caught his eye and after a few minutes, walked over to them.

"H-hey! What's up?" he asked, smiling like an idiot, and looking like one too. Remus turned abruptly around to hide his laughter and Sirius, who was behind Peter, was shaking.

"Why so cheerful?" Sirius managed to ask.

"Oh nothing, so you've all got dates for the ball?" he asked, reddening more.

"Yeah, all but Lily." Isabella said while trying to keep a straight face and shooting that 'stop laughing!' look at the boys

"Really? Well...y-you wanna go with me?" he asked, laughing nervously and trying to act casual. Lily looked from Angela who was biting her lip and gazing into the foggy ball harder than ever to Isabella who had a small smile on her face and was cocking her head so she was looking pointedly at her. She glared at Sirius who was silently laughing hysterically, pointing at Lily and saying 'ha ha' behind Peter. She then looked to Remus who's eyes were watering as he picked at a loose string on a nearby chair to Peter who's face was growing steadily darker as he wringed his hands in an apprehensive fashion. 

"Sure Peter, that would be wonderful." she said with a bright smile. His face resumed its usual color and he smiled nervously.

"Great!... uh… I'll see you at the ball then! I mean… I'll see you before that too because we-we have transfiguration-" he stuttered, blushing profusely. "I'll just go to bed now. You know… tired and everything…" he said quickly, pointing towards the stairs.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Lily answered quickly, glancing at her friends, all of whom looked ready to explode. Peter nodded and they watched as he practically leapt up the stairs. As soon as he was out of sight, they burst into laughter.

"Oh. My. God." Isabella said after a minute or two.

"Wow, Sirius was actually right when he said Peter could go with whoever he wanted to." Remus jutted out between peels of laughter.

"Did you see his face??" Angela said, as the crystal ball fell out of her shaking hands and broke. She didn't even seem to care, she was laughing so hard. As for Sirius, he was beyond words.

"He's-he's shorter than me!" Lily cried out between her mirth. Just then, James walked into the common room and looked at them all puzzled.

"What's going on? What's so funny?" he asked, his eyebrows raised, eyeing the four red faces and the figure rolling around on the floor.

"James! Y-you totally missed it. Peter asked Lily to the ball!" Remus said as a fresh outburst took over him.

"Really?" he said gleefully, "What did you say?"

" 'Yes!' What else was I going to say? You should have seen him!" Lily said, out of breath. 

The ball was going to be an interesting one.


	4. Teasets and flying Remus

-:- -:- -:-

"I don't understand why we have to do these stupid homework assignments! Ugh!!" Lily yelled in frustration after her fifth attempt to turn a sheet of parchment into a complete tea set that would pour out already made tea into cups at your command. The Anniversary Ball was in two days and the common room was especially noisy after an entertaining show of fireworks and the grand finale of detentions given to the house's most famous trio. 

Sirius, James, and Remus were determined to have a feast that night but just as they were about to go down to the kitchens, Professor Drake, the head of the house, decided to spend the rest of the evening in the common room, "enjoying the company of his youthful friends", as he put it. To distract him, Remus set off a colorful array of Fillibuster's Fireworks on which Sirius decided to try out a few charms while James and Peter hid under James' invisibility cloak and ran off to the kitchens. Of course, Sirius' charms were literally Sirius' charms, his very own concoctions that he had never tried out before.  The first few were bizarre, the fireworks whizzed around the room farting out brightly colored feathers before exploding, but the fifth one was chaos causing. As soon as Sirius waved his wand, the fireworks exploded high in the air and tiny centimeter-sized stars, each attached to a tiny spark of flame flew towards the windows, as though trying to escape into the sky. Several succeeded but many flew into the curtains and set them on fire. Just as this happened, James and Peter arrived loaded with éclairs and cakes and, completely forgetting that Professor Drake was still here, James began dishing out the food while Peter, who noticed the fire and realized the shrill screams of terror were not squeals of joy, ran up to the fifth year boys' dormitory. James, Sirius, and Remus each received detention for two weeks under Professor Drake and fifty points off Gryffindor each. 

"You're only complaining because you can't do it…. Accio Sirius!!" Isabella said with a smile, literally summoning Sirius from the fireplace where he and James were reenacting some scenario involving very bad break dancing to Charisma, Vanessa, and Giselle who were falling out of their chairs, laughing. He shot backwards into Isabella's lap, where she grabbed hold of his head, and turning it so that he faced her looking thoroughly shocked and fearful of the force with which she handled him, and kissed him passionately with more than just her lips. 

"Vulgar, aren't you?" Sirius replied after their thirty-second-snog, looking flustered but pleased, still sitting on Isabella's lap. "But that's how I like my women, right?" he added, wrapping one arm around her neck and pulling her head up to his waiting lips to repeat what they had just completed. She let out a derisive snort, pulled away and stood up, leaving Sirius to fall on the floor in a tangled heap as she stepped over him to sink into a pouf next to Lily.

"So sorry darling, the seat was beginning to get uncomfortable, what with you weighing me down and everything," Isabella replied to his murderous glare. She sat up from her curled-into-a-ball-on-a-pouf position, grabbed his arm and dragged him towards her off the floor where he was deliberately slumped in mock helplessness. He rubbed a spot on his temple, pointedly glaring at Isabella, and she, rolling her eyes at Lily, kissed it affectionately.

"You're better now." she stated, smiling sincerely, picking up her own transfiguration homework and drawing out her wand to work on it. 

"Thanks for letting me know…" he answered, standing up and looking over to James who was watching him impatiently and the girls who looked astonished. Isabella noticed the looks upon their faces.

"Go now. I have no more use for you…" she said to him, placing her arms on the sides of her pouf and acting as though it was a throne. 

"Yes master… I mean mistress," he said with a mock bow and then standing up again he said with a smirk, "You're so very dominating, did you know that?"

"Well, I am always on top…" she gave him a mischievous smile and winked, "If you know what I mean…" They gave each other identical grins and he reached down and kissed her softly before returning to his waiting audience. Lily and Isabella watched him go and Isabella noticed Giselle's eyes darting from her to Sirius and then Giselle narrowed her eyes giving her a final nasty look. She returned it with a broad smile. Lily was giving Isabella a look of utter disbelief.

"Izzy… do you and Sirius have-" she began to say but was interrupted as a flying Remus landed at her feet and layed there looking dazed for a minute and then slowly grinned at her.

"Sorry, Lily…" he said, sitting up, "Angie here," he waved his hand in her direction as she came running towards them but seemed too tired to continue.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Remus…" Angela said, pulling him to his feet and then helping him into a chair. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah… what the hell was that for?" he asked, glaring at her and rubbing her head.

"What were you doing in our dormitory??" she asked in return, her hands on her hips.

"Sirius left my copy of Potion Brewing With Passion in there and I was innocently retrieving it when you decided to attack me…" he answered. She fumed.

"What the hell would Sirius be doing in our dormitory, huh? How stupid do you think I am?" she narrowed her eyes at him as he glanced at Isabella who mouthed the word "sorry" to him, looking fearfully at Angela. She was usually very even tempered and rarely this furious.

"Forget about that. That was really cool! What did you do to me?" he asked, breaking into a wide grin, looking curious and eager.

She eyed him suspiciously before answering, "I levitated you, that's when you hit your head on the ceiling, and then instead of lowering you down directly, I think my wand backfired and you just shot you into the common room…" she said, looking thoughtful.

"Your wand didn't backfire Angie, I think that in all your inexplicable rage, you flicked your wand so I would land on the common room floor," Angela opened her mouth in rage but he interrupted her,  "Anyway, now I know never to enter your dormitory when you're the only one in there." Remus said with a smile before getting up and joining Sirius and James. Angela took out her repaired crystal ball and began working on her divination homework. Just then the piece of parchment Lily was trying to transfigure inflated and started squirting water all over the place. She threw it on the floor and stomped on it several times until a squeak sounded its death. Angela and Isabella sat still in their chairs staring down at the parchment and wondering if this was going to trigger an outburst of rage from their already frustrated friend. To their surprise, she merely took a deep breath and looked around.

"Too bad that didn't happen when the curtains caught fire." she said with a sigh. "That's it… JAMES!!!" she yelled, shocking her friends. Across the room, James who was sitting on a pouf with Charisma on his lap, turned to look at her.

"C'mere for minute?" Lily called, looking desperate.

"Why?"

"To do my transfiguration homework for me…?" she more asked than answered, pouting and cocking her head on the side. She pointed to the wet piece of parchment on the floor for him to look at.

"Sure! But only if you do my Charms." he smirked. They did this often.

"James, can't you ever do something from the goodness of your heart?" she pleaded as he raised an eyebrow. "C'mon, please!!! I'm really frustrated!!!"

"So am I! I have no one to do my Charms homework for me." he pouted as he stamped his foot.

"You are such an asshole." she narrowed her eyes at him as she brought him her parchment and as he took it, reaching over Charisma's arm.

"Darling, I owe you absolutely nothing but I do pity you for the sad time you'll have at the ball with Peter. I'll do it, but now you owe me." he sighed, taking out his wand. Lily let out a squeal of triumph and was just about to lavishly thank him when Charisma took the parchment away from James and pulled out her own wand.

"I'll do it, James." she said, straightening out the parchment with a flourish.

"Charisma, don't worry, James and I do favors for each other a lot and I'm sure he'd be happy to do it, as I'm paying him back for it," Lily smiled at James, "Don't waste your time on it Charisma." she finished politely, reaching out to retrieve the parchment from her. 

"Really, its okay," Charisma replied curtly, snatching it back, "After all, we are the best of friends Lily, aren't we?" she smiled, raising her eyebrows. James hugged her tighter, grinning at Lily, pleased.

 "Um… yeah." Lily answered hesitantly, smiling nervously as Charisma turned her soggy parchment into a beautiful purple ceramic tea set that, when a cup was tapped with a wand, would pour ready-made tea. Lily thanked her, eyeing her curiously as Charisma carefully handed her the tea-set, smirking, her eyes cold chips of green ice. Lily made her way through the clutter of poufs and chairs to her dormitory, thinking of what had just occurred. Did Charisma have something against her?


	5. Sulking and Dancing

-:- -:- -:-

Lily entered the empty common room and stared blindly at the walls for a few minutes, still standing in front of the portrait hole. It was lunchtime and after a quick bite of her ham sandwich she had decided she didn't want to sit through the meal with everyone around her musing about the ball tomorrow. She sighed deeply and now fixed her gaze on her toes.

She jumped when James called to her from across the room, "Lily, a good idea would be to move before someone comes in through the portrait hole and knocks you down." she had thought she was alone. Lily walked over to the chair he occupied.

"Hey James." Lily uttered feebly, sinking miserably into a pouf across from him. James, who was reading a book looked up at her and frowned. 

"What's wrong? What are you doing here anyway, shouldn't you be at lunch?" he asked, concerned.

"No appetite…" she answered, in the same pitiful way. She sighed, "What about you?"

"Already ate, thought I'd hurry it up a bit so I could do some research." he answered, frowning. James waited for her to say something in vain.

"So what's wrong, why do you look so depressed?" he inquired, closing his book with a snap, sitting up in his chair to stare her down.  

"James? Research? That's a quidditch book isn't it?" she said, snorting.

"As a matter of fact, you're wrong. I am doing research, don't ask me what because I'll just ignore you. Answer my question." he answered seriously.

"I'm just tired." she said, glancing at him, "Can't you see the bags under my eyes?"

"No," he answered, peering exaggeratedly at them and making her smile, "I don't see them because they aren't there… which is probably because you aren't  tired."

She rolled her eyes, "How would you know?"

"Because it is the day before the anniversary ball, the first and probably only ball we're having before graduation and being the delicate lady that you are," she smirked at him, "if you were tired and had bags under your eyes, I'm sure you would not sit here and sulk about them, you would run up to your dormitory, apply toner or whatever-"

"Concealer"

"Sorry, _concealer_ and worry about looking as great as you can for tomorrow night, right?" he finished, smirking knowingly.

"Yes James, you're right, I am that shallow." she laughed.

James leaned back in his chair "No you're not. If you were shallow, you wouldn't have agreed to go with Peter to the ball would you? And I bet that's why you're down right now." 

"Yes Mr. Potter, right again. How do you do it?" she said sarcastically.

"Face it, I'm brilliant," he grinned. He walked over to another pouf, dragged it over to where Lily was, and sank into it so that he was at eye level with her. She sank deeper into hers as he openly searched her face, making her squirm uncomfortably. He sighed, "Lily, listen. Going with Peter won't be as bad as you think. You don't necessarily have to only dance with your partner at the ball so you'll be with other people too. When you guys aren't dancing, you can sit at a table and I'm sure one of us will be there and at dinner we'll all be at the same table so it'll be just like going as a group or something. It won't be so bad." he said comfortingly.

"Yeah, I guess… I can't help but think…. if anyone else was even going to ask me though…" Lily muttered, sighing deeply. To her surprise, James laughed.

"Oh my god, Lily. You make yourself sound as repulsive as a Manticore," he said, rolling his eyes.

"What? Peter asked me two days ago and everyone I knew already had dates by then… it's a valid concern you know." she said, glancing at him. "I can't help but think if Peter was the only person left…"

"You know that if I hadn't asked Charisma I would probably have asked you. And you also know that if Peter hadn't asked you, and word had gotten out that you didn't have a date yet, guys would be lining up for you and now you would be sitting here heart-broken over how many guys you have to reject."

"Yes I guess…" she muttered, not at all convinced. "One more problem though"

"What?"

"I fear this shall be the hardest to answer," she took a deep breath "How James, how does a girl dance a slow dance with a guy four inches shorter than her?" she wasn't surprised when James started laughing hysterically.

"Sorry, I was just imagining it in my head," he said when he had calmed down  "C'mon" he said as he stood up.

"Where are we going?" she asked, looking at him puzzled as he took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Nowhere. You're going to practice slow-dancing with a guy four inches shorter than you." he answered, wrapping her arm around his neck and his around her waist and at the same time holding her left hand in his.

"You're forgetting that you're taller than me, James." she smirked, an amused expression on her face.

"Hmm…" he looked thoughtful. "How about this?" he said, bending his knees a bit

"You're still taller." she laughed as he bent further.

"How about this?"

"A little more…" she answered, looking thoughtful.

"Now?" he asked, crinkling his brow.

"Now you're down to an inch shorter than me…." she answered implying that it was not enough.

"Lily, I can't bend my knees any further without kneeling…." James said, now about three inches shorter than her.

"Kneel then!" she exclaimed, smiling, a glint in her eye. He glared at her.

"Okay, okay…. hmm…." she thought about it for a minute. Then, suddenly grinning she said, "Hunch!"

"What?" he answered, bewildered at her command.

"You know… bend your back forward, like you have a hump…" she clarified, moving her hand to his upper back and gently pushing it down.

"Lily!! You're not practicing dancing with a cripple!" he complained, now about six inches shorter than her, knees and back bent.

"Don't be silly, you look fine." She said, delighted at seeing him like this. He glared at her, not convinced.

"Now I'm too short, let me get up a bit." he pleaded.

"What's wrong with being too short, you're teaching me to dance with someone who is shorter than me, aren't you?"

"I can't stand like this for long…."

"That's not a problem, just conjure up a cane."

"Clearly you're having too much fun with this…" he muttered.

"Wait! Stand there just like that, I want to look at you!" she said brightly, letting go of him and backing away into the chair he had occupied before. She giggled as she took a good look at him. He glared at her at first but then, realizing that this was an opportunity to be prime entertainer, a role he took on as often as possible, and also a way to cheer up his friend, he began striking poses, as though Lily was a photographer. He started out with just blowing kisses in his crippled state, enough to make Lily laugh, and progressed to doing a kind of uncoordinated tap-dance, sucking his lips into his mouth as though he had no teeth and squinting through his glasses, howling "I lost my teeth!" and "I'm a cripple!" alternately. 

"Having fun?" Charisma smiled, materializing suddenly out of the shadows and walking towards James, her eyes on Lily who was now crying with uncontrollable laughter on her armchair, it was obvious she was trying desperately to stop. James stopped as soon as she had spoken and his face broke into a – from Lily's point of view – a sickening grin.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, swooping down to give her a light kiss as she arrived at his side, smiling.

"I was wondering where you were! I thought you said you'd be at the library, returning a book…?" she narrowed her eyes at him, smiling as Lily managed to compose herself.

"I was, I came in here to find it and I thought I'd look up on last thing before I returned it," he pointed to the book, that was now lying on the floor, "then Lily came in all depressed about her date for tomorrow, you know – with Peter, and I thought I'd cheer her up."  He bent down to pick up the book and didn't notice the glare Charisma threw at Lily.

"Oh yes poor Lily, you're going with Peter! Well, I'm sure you'll have a great time. Anyway, who you take to the ball will make no difference. You can sit with James and I when he annoys you." she said, clearly by her glare, not meaning a word of it as James beamed.

"Why thank you Charisma, James was just saying that I could sit with you and the rest of our group when I feel like it." Lily replied politely as James smiled.

"That was an amusing way to cheer our friend up." she commented to James, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and sliding hers around his waist, ignoring Lily completely and making her seethe enough to want to tackle the shorter and smaller girl and stomp her to death. She resisted the urge.

"I was actually trying to teach her how to dance with someone shorter than her," James chuckled, "but of course Lily here had to make me bend my back and my knees so I could be the right height and then of course she started laughing hysterically so-"

"I know, I was watching," Charisma interrupted, "that was a cruel thing to have my boyfriend stoop to, Lily, no?" she said, as an icy sneer crossed her face that looked like a jesting smile from James' aerial point of view.

"I'm sure he enjoyed himself," she sneered back at her. James frowned at her, wondering why she was being less than friendly to his more than friendly girlfriend. Lily stood up, "Well, I have to get going, I have to return a book to the library. I'll see you guys later, thanks James." she said, walking towards the portrait hole as quick as she could, and pulling a small book out of her pocket.

"Wait, Lily, since you're going there anyway, can you return this for me?" he threw his book and she caught it, muttered "Sure," and made her way through the scattered poufs. 

Charisma called after her, "Lily, darling, why are you in such a hurry? Wait. I'd like to accompany you." she said, smiling broadly, "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not, I'd be delighted." Lily retorted with an equally sweet smile plastered to her face. James was watching this, confused at their formalities.

"Bye then." he called to them, settling into a chair by the fireplace and pulling something out of his pocket.

"Bye James!" the girls chorused and then quickly turned to each other, identical glares pasted on their faces, both looking like they could kill each other just for saying goodbye to James. They climbed out of the portrait and turned the corner, still glaring at each other, neither of them speaking.

"So Lily," Charisma stopped in front of the library and turned around, "Think its that easy to giggle your way into James' heart, huh?" she sneered scornfully, dangerously blocking Lily's way into the vast rows of knowledge, after their tense, silent walk from the common room.

-:- -:- -:-


	6. Plan B, a new date

CHAPTER 5

"So Lily." Charisma stopped in front of the library and turned around, "Think its _that_ easy to giggle your way into James' heart, huh?" she sneered scornfully, dangerously blocking Lily's way into the vast rows of knowledge, after their tense, silent walk from the common room.

            "What?" Lily stood, shock at what she'd just heard coursing through her. She couldn't believe that Charisma had a grudge against her because of her relationship with James.

            "You heard me. What have you got with James?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. Lily rolled her eyes and pushed past her into the library, swiftly joining the short line in front of Madam Jont's return slot. Charisma followed her.

            "Answer me, Lily. What have you got with James?" she whispered icily.

            "Why don't you just ask him?" Lily drawled, concentrating on keeping the rage out of her voice, silently congratulating herself on sounding utterly bored.

            "Lily, as much as you look it, you aren't stupid. You know as well as I do that I don't want him to think I'm jealous. Now you don't have to explain anything, just tell me which it is. Are you an ex-girlfriend, in love with him, do you just see him every once in a while, or is it what I think it is, that you are a jealous little whore who wants James only because he is with someone other than you or your pathetic posse?" she spat, her hands on her hips, her voice dangerously low.

            "You're pathetic. I have never been with James and I doubt I ever will." Lily finally whispered, her eyes green flames and her fists balled up at her side.

            "So I was right?" Charisma smirked, a statement more than a question. She was pleased to see that Lily was properly enraged, "You're jealous."

            "Why ask a question when you won't accept the answer?" Lily asked, pulling herself together slightly, crossing her arms across her chest.

            "Why do you keep answering a question with a question and expect me to think you're telling the truth, Lily?" she challenged.

            "Look, honey, I don't have to listen to your idiotic accusations. I'll be in the common room with _James_." She smiled sweetly before turning on her heel and walking out of the library, eyes set firmly on the exit, no doubt in search of a friend to confide in. Charisma followed her halfway before her eyes fell on something that gave her a great idea. 

            Angela Heathers smiled at her from a table to her right just as Isabella Rey emerged from behind a large bookshelf and took a seat next to her. Spotting Charisma, she smiled and waved, a gesture friendly enough for her to join them.

            "And I'll be starting Plan B, Lily." She muttered to herself, smiling innocently at them as she walked towards their table.

-:- -:- -:-

            Lily stomped out of the library and, first checking to make sure that Charisma had not followed her, she kicked the stone wall furiously until she had injured her toes so badly that she had a limp. She started down the third-floor corridor, surrounded by suits of armor, still cursing under her breath and scowling. One suit of armor, obviously thinking that it would be amusing to trip the angry limping girl, stuck a clanking leg out as she walked by and the next minute she lay face down in the middle of the corridor, one ankle sticking out at a weird angle, unable to get up. She sighed heavily and fumbled underneath her for her wand, trying to think of a spell to help her. She had just decided to levitate herself to the infirmary when she heard, and felt, footsteps coming towards her. She groaned, the thought of anyone seeing her like this made the heat rise up in her face.

            "Lily?" a deep, yet gentle voice asked uncertainly a few feet away from her. She turned so that she lay on her back and sat up, just as she saw the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, Amir Patil, kneel next to her.

            "Are you okay? What happened?" he asked, frowning. He was a fellow sixth year, tall, broad-shouldered, with muscular, bulky arms from his position as beater, and lean everywhere else as he was a natural athlete. He laid a well-tanned hand on her shoulder and she looked into his hazel eyes. Her eyes drove from the thick, black lashes to the unkempt eye-brows, drawn together to reveal a kind of manly concern. Her mind traced a line down his nose around his luscious, large, juicy lips…

With a start she realized those lips were moving.

"Huh? I mean… I'm sorry, what did you say?" she said in as confused and soft a voice as she could muster, aware that that was probably the most degrading thing she could have said at this moment. He regarded her curiously.

"I asked you if can stand up. It looks like you sprained your ankle." He repeated, placing his big hands under her arms and pulling her up. With one arm around his neck, and the other stuffing her wand back into her robes, she gingerly tested her left foot and couldn't suppress a small yelp, as it seemed to crumble under her weight. Amir quickly walked to her other side and placed his arm around her shoulders as her arm wrapped itself around his waist.

"Now, shall we walk to the Hospital Wing like this, or will I have the pleasure of carrying you?" He asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Hmm…this time we'll walk. But next time I'll insist on your carrying me." She smiled, hugging his waist closer as they started down the corridor.

"Next time? Do you do this often?" he looked down at her, holding her carefully as they made their way down a staircase. 

"Do what?" she knew what he meant but wanted to draw out the conversation. The pain brought involuntary tears to her eyes.

"You know, randomly collapse in the middle of the third floor corridor, sprawled out on the ground with an injured leg… flailing your arms desperately, wailing for someone to rescue you…" she laughed at this, rather shakily through tears. He winced as she stepped on the landing and trembled, the pain was obviously increasing.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you? It just around the corner…" he asked. She would have gladly let him but Charisma would be here soon, on her way to the common room, and she was afraid she might make a scene. 

"Oh, I can make it around the corner on my feet. Its not that bad." She answered, trying and failing to sound confident. They reached the hospital wing where Lily was put into the hands of Madam Pomfrey while Amir waited patiently, watching the young medi-witch mend her ankle.

-:- -:- -:-

            "Charisma! What's up, what are you doing here?" Isabella asked cheerfully as the girl approached and sat in a vacant chair at their table.

            "Oh, I was just returning a book. What are you guys doing? We don't have another essay to write, do we?" she asked, watching Angela pore through a book, picking up her lavender quill and jotting down a line or two from each page. Isabella rolled her eyes.

            "Nah, don't worry. Merlin knows why but Angie's doing extra research for Divination." She gave her friend an exasperated look and received a scowl.

            "At least I come to the library to do research, unlike you who comes for the sole purpose of ogling at guys." She retorted, a smug smile on her face.

            "What do you mean 'guys'? I've only had my eye on one for the past week…" She answered dreamily.

            "Who? Sirius?" Charisma grinned, making her way into the conversation.

            "No, no, no. Why would I come to the library to stare at Sirius?" She answered impatiently, "Its Craig Pierce. Isn't he so hot?" she said, her gray eyes glittering hungrily. Charisma looked around.

            "Where?"

            "Over there… behind the bookshelf." Isabella answered, steering Charisma's shoulders a little to the left so she could get a good look at him.

            "Him?" she asked, referring to the burly figure reaching up to put a book back onto a shelf, the outline of strong biceps visible even through his robes.

            "Yeah…Oh Morgana! Just look at those arms! What do you think?" Charisma strained to recognize him, she didn't think she had any classes with him but she had definitely seen him before.

            "He's attractive." She finally answered, remembering that she had seen him with a group of Slytherins that had insulted James' gang on their way to Potions last week, resulting in a duel and several detentions.

            "Attractive? He is not just attractive… he's-"

            "Isn't he a Slytherin?" she asked, crinkling a brow. She thought Slytherins and Gryffindors were sworn enemies.

            "Uhuh, he is…oh no, he moved! Stupid ass…" she hissed in frustration as he moved onto a new row of books on the other side of the library. She turned to Charisma, smiling mischievously.

            "I know he's got a thing for me though."

            "Oh yes. They "gesture" implyingly at each other all through Divination. Its rather distracting." Angela added condescendingly.

            "Only for you honey. Everyone else finds it entertaining." Isabella smiled, standing up. "Well, I'm off to find Craig… and perhaps do more…"

            "I wish you luck in courting, my dear." Angela drawled, putting on a formal air. Charisma tried to look as bewildered as possible.

            "But… I thought… you and Sirius…?" she said curiously, frowning.

            "Yeah." Was the vague answer she received. Angela and Charisma watched her walk across the library and vanish into a maze of bookshelves. Charisma turned to Angela.

            "I thought she was going out with Sirius." She said, hoping for Angela to spill all. Angela closed her book.

            "Yeah but… well, Isabella and Sirius are not your normal couple. They've been together since fourth year and at the same time they've been with other people…" There was a pause while Angela searched for words and Charisma thought of a way to urge her to continue.

            "So its kind of like a security relationship? To make sure they've always got someone?" she asked.

            "I don't know if that's exactly it but I do know that in all my life I've never met two people more independent than Sirius and Isabella. They act like boyfriend and girlfriend all the time but they don't follow all the rules. What I mean is that they both think its fine to go out with and flirt with other people…er... aggressively, and openly too. I guess they don't like being tied to others because they go through most of their relationships pretty fast… well, except for the one they have with each other." Angela finished, looking thoughtful.

            "Oh…" was all Charisma could say to this bit of gossip. It certainly was not good news that one of James' best friends paid no heed to the 'commitment' part of a relationship. And one of Lily's didn't either…

            She needed to know more.

-:- -:- -:-

            Lily thanked Madam Pomfrey as she stood up and tested her leg. She smiled at Amir, who grinned back, and when they walked out, grasped the hand he offered her. He walked her back to the Gryffindor common room while she wondered vaguely whether he would ask her to the ball, as she found no other reason for him to still be following her. They stopped in front of the portrait hole and Amir turned to look at her.

            "Do you have a date for the ball?" he asked, reaching for her other hand and smiling, the fat lady in a pink satin dress waiting expectantly in the portrait they were blocking.

            She would have loved to say 'no' and forget all about her promise to Peter but she couldn't break his heart by taking back her consent to his being her partner.

            "I understand if you do…" he answered her silence. She wanted to kiss him right there, he was so sweet.

            "Oh Amir, I'm sorry…" she finally said softly, reluctantly. The pleading look in her eyes made it obvious that she really was. Amir watched her closely.

            "… because I do too." He said, with a twisted smile. She stared at him.

            "Why did you ask me then?" she asked, after an awkward pause.

            "Well… I don't know why I asked her, I guess it was out pity…" he said guiltily, "I was thinking that maybe at the ball we can be each others dates…?" he asked hesitantly.

            Screw Peter, he was an idiot if he thought she really wanted to go with him.

            "That would be great… who are you taking…?" she asked, wondering which girl she would be accused of stealing the date of tomorrow night.

            "Leila Gillani, you? I take it you aren't too interested in your date…" he said, his eyes twinkling. She laughed.

            "Interested? In Peter Pettigrew? I've been dreading the ball until now. A couple of days ago he heard that I didn't have a date and asked me. You should have seen him, brick-red, sweating like crazy, I couldn't refuse…" she explained.

            "It was pretty much the same for Leila, I felt really bad because she was in front of all her friends and she had a death grip on my arm when she started teasing about how I would never ask her… she looked really hopeful and the whole common room was staring at her like she was an idiot… I didn't want to embarrass her…" he said, looking exasperated. There was a moment of silence and they stared at each other.

            "I would never have imagined that you, Amir Patil, captain of the Quidditch team was going with a pity-date to the Anniversary Ball…" she said softly, taking a step closer to him, both of her hands in his, fingers intertwined. 

            "And I wouldn't have imagined it for you either, Lily Evans…" he replied lazily, smoothly pulling her closer as she took a step towards him. They stood for a moment, still holding hands at their shoulders, elbows bent completely. Closing her eyes, she stood on tip-toes, just as he bent his head towards her…

            The portrait hole banged open, hitting Lily's back and throwing her into Amir's arms as he staggered into the stone wall, hugging her. The sound of casual chatter filled the air as a laughing figure stepped out slowly, one hand on the portrait, about to shut it and the other holding onto the wall for support, she was still facing someone in the common room and backing out. The words 'Hey Lily! Come here!' could be heard from somewhere inside. Lily took the moment to compose herself and let go of Amir who she had been holding onto to break her fall. Amir straightened up and ran a hand through his hair as the girl finally shut the portrait hole and turned around. It was Vanessa.

            "Hey Lily!" she smiled, oblivious that she had just slammed the portrait on her.

            "Hey Vanessa, looking for Charisma?" Lily asked sweetly.

            "Actually, I was going to find Giselle, but while I'm at it, I guess I'll look for her too. Have you seen her?" she asked, looking curiously from Lily to Amir.

            Lily didn't bother to introduce them.

            "No." she lied. With a smile, Vanessa started towards the staircase. They watched her descend the steps in silence, then Lily turned to Amir.

            "I'd better go in, someone's calling me." She smiled, walking towards the portrait and muttering the password. The portrait shot open and the sound of cheerful chatter filled the air once more, "I'll see you at the ball."

            "Wait." He grasped her hand as she took a step in, "And when will I see you after that?" he inquired. She turned around to look at him.

            "The next time I am in desperate need of rescuing off the ground after grievously spraining my ankle, of course." She winked at him.

            "And pray tell when that will be?" he asked, eyes twinkling, still holding her hand. 

            "How about Thursday, at five-thirty?" she asked, "I'll take care to collapse in the Entrance Hall and we can take a walk on the grounds afterward if you like." She added. He smiled and crossed to her, closing the arms-distance their clasped hands had made between them. They stood for a second, not in but not out of the common room. He brushed his lips against hers for the briefest moment but it was enough to make her heart flutter at his soft touch.

            "It's a date." He answered in farewell, letting go of her hand and walking out into the corridor. She smiled and walked into the common room, finally closing the irritated portrait behind her. The ball wasn't going to be so bad after all, she thought, smiling with content.

-:- -:- -:- 

REVIEW!!! Sorry I took longer than I had anticipated to post this chapter. Out of sudden impulse I started another story that I won't post until I'm further ahead with this one…. Or at least when I start on "Turn Me Green, Kiss Me Pink Part 2"


	7. More information

CHAPTER 6

"So are you and Remus like that too? And James?" Charisma asked, breaking the silence that followed after Angela explained Sirius and Isabella's relationship. Angela had picked up her quill immediately afterwards and was scrawling away once again.

            "Like what?" she asked, not looking up.

            "Like Sirius and Isabella."

            "Oh." She laughed lightly, a sound that annoyed the already tense Charisma deeply, "Don't worry about James, he's not like that. The most harm that would come out of your relationship is if some crazed, lovesick Hufflepuff hexes you…but that's only happened twice. And Remus and I aren't together." She added, hastily picking up her quill.

            "Oh, I'm sorry. That was really inconsiderate, did you break up recently?" she prompted after quickly weighing whether it was wise to seem nosey or not.

            "No, I meant that we've never been together either…" she said, staring at Charisma intently for a reaction.

            "Really? It always seemed like it though. You guys are around each other a lot… and last night in the common room when you two fought… I've seen his arm around you sometimes… and it just seemed like…" She rambled on apologetically, succeeding in sounding like an embarrassed simpleton.

            "Well, I don't know… sometimes it seems like he's got a thing for me but then out of nowhere he sort of freezes up and acts just like everyone else. I don't know how to talk to him about it because he might not have even noticed that he was acting like that. Besides, it might mess up our friendship and…I like him." She finished sadly, suddenly deeply interested in the cuff of her sleeve. There was a moment of silence and then Charisma drew up her chair and hugged her awkwardly. After flinching at the unexpected touch, Angela warmed up to it.

            "I think he likes you too, Angie, and I bet he'll tell you soon. I mean, he asked you to the ball, didn't he? Maybe he thinks you don't like him back…" she said, as she pulled away, hoping this was reassurance.

            "I hope you're right." She replied, smiling. She stared off into space for a few minutes while Charisma fidgeted in her chair, watching her. She had nothing to do and would have liked very much to leave.

            "Why don't we go for a walk?" she suggested, bringing Angela back from her daydream with a start. She looked around frantically, wide-eyed and bewildered. Charisma frowned, slightly alarmed.

            "Angela…?" she asked, sincere for once. She started again when she heard her name and her eyes settled on Charisma. Then, after registering who the person sitting in front of her was, she took a deep breath. She stood up hastily and grabbed the book she had been reading, folded the parchment in between the pages, and pocketed her quill.

            "Yes, lets go for a walk. But first we'll go to the common room, I need to put this away." Charisma rose silently, still eyeing her strangely.

            "Are you okay?" 

            "Of course…" she answered looking at her from the corner of her eye, as though nothing had happened and as though Charisma were a bit dim for asking such a thing out of nowhere. They walked towards the exit, Angela relaxed, Charisma confused.  They passed by a table that had obviously been moved so that it was well hidden by a bookshelf from Madam Jont's desk. On the edge of it sat Isabella, deeply immersed in a passionate kiss, one hand running through Craig Pierce's dark brown hair, the other on his buff chest. He had both of his arms around her and Charisma watched, astonished as he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, if that was possible.

            "C'mon." Angela grabbed Charisma's hand and pulled her away from the scene she was gaping at, "Really that was actually faster than usual for Izzy. And she stayed in the library for once, I'm surprised." She added, sounding amused.

            "We're going for a walk, Izzy, meet us there if you like!" she called over her shoulder when they had walked about ten paces away from them. They heard an irritated "Shhh!!" from Madam Jont followed by a muffled "okay" of consent as they walked out of the library.

-:- -:- -:-

            "There you are, Lily. What took you so long? We called you at least five minutes ago." Remus said pleasantly as soon as Lily walked in. She crossed to the empty chair facing him and sat down slowly.

            "Well, Vanessa pushed the portrait into me when she walked out and I needed a moment to recover from the shock of being thrown on the ground by a wooden frame twice my size." She answered sardonically, hoping Remus hadn't witnessed what really happened in the short time that Vanessa had kept the portrait open and when she and Amir kissed.

            "What a pity." He answered, his eyebrows raised.

            "I know, you really shouldn't walk out of the portrait hole backwards…"

            "Yeah, you might knock someone right into the arms of the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain and set them up to snog passionately…" he said, watching her blush faintly.

            "You could see us?" she asked stupidly. He rolled his eyes.

            "No, I've become like Angela and I foresaw it. I thought I'd come down here to greet you afterwards."

            "We were not snogging, it was just a kiss. Anyway, did the whole common room see us?" she asked, ignoring his bit of sarcasm and wondering if Peter was in here.

            "No, I was the only one sitting close enough to have the pleasure. You're lucky Sirius or James weren't here to make great fun out of it." He added, "I assume you're not depressed about the ball anymore?"

            "Did James tell the whole world?" she said, leaning back in her chair, annoyed.

            "No, just me and Sirius…"

            "Same thing, I'm sure you've all done your duties in spreading the news." She said dryly.

            "Who cares if everyone finds out. They'll all be disappointed tomorrow when they see you with Amir."

            "But I'm not going with Amir, I'm still going with Peter." She replied, frustrated.

            "That's absurd." He crinkled a brow, it was his turn to be annoyed.

            "Give me a break Remus." 

            "But how can you go to the ball with Peter when it seems like you're going out with Amir."

            "What am I supposed to do? Do you want me to go up to him and say 'I'm sorry Peter, but now that I've found someone better to go with to the ball, I guess you're on your own. See ya!' You were there when he asked me, Remus, and I'm sure you remember how idiotic he looked and how embarrassing it would have been if I had refused. Now think how much worse he'll feel if I take it back!" She cried, letting out all of her bottled rage from the day's events in one breath. Remus had an unreadable expression on his face and remained silent, not taking his eyes off of hers.

            "He's told everyone about it, hasn't he? Has Peter told everyone that I'm his date?" she asked despairingly after a minute. He nodded. She sighed.

            "So what are you going to do?" 

            "I don't know. I don't know how to deal with it without hurting Peter. I guess I'll go with him, dance with him a couple of times and then go dance with Amir. If he finds us then I'll switch again… Amir already knows I'm going with Peter and he's going with Leila, you know, that Ravenclaw that's always trying to get Sirius' attention in Transfiguration."

            "Oh her…" he grimaced, then put on a shrill voice, highly unlike his own, " 'Hey, Sirius, did you know that both my cousin and I were born under your constellation?' and 'Oh my god, Sirius, look how much my porcupine looks like yours! We're both so good at this!' " Lily laughed and his voice back to normal now, "How she thinks that would interest him is beyond my comprehension. Anyway, your plan sounds good. Don't worry, maybe we can distract Peter. Or else you can invite Amir to our table when we eat. I don't think it'll be much of a problem." She nodded slowly trying to imagine dinner. They would all be at the same table, Remus and Angela, her and Peter, Amir and Leila, Sirius and Isabella, and James and Charisma…

            "Remus, what do you think of Charisma?" She asked, after some speculation on whether she should recount their conversation from earlier to him. It would depend on what he thought of her.

            "I don't know. She seems nice enough, we haven't known her for more than a few days so we can't judge can we? Why?" 

She had every right to judge, she thought.

            "You know, just wondering if she's a good match for our dear James." She smiled. He grinned but then looked at something over her shoulder.

            "Where have you guys been? Are you ready?" he called suddenly to someone behind her. Lily craned her head to see Sirius and James walking towards them, three broomsticks between them. Sirius handed the one in his right hand to Remus, who stood up.

            "We were just adding the stuff we told you about before." He explained casually.

            "Lily, we're going to play some Quidditch. Want to join us?" Remus asked as the others turned to her.

            "Four people? Two to a team?" she asked uncertainly.

            "Good work, Lily. You divided right this time!" James exclaimed, smiling proudly. She slapped his arm.

            "Nah, Vanessa and Giselle are playing too and we need another player. Come with us, unless you want us to use Peter and ruin the odds for the team he's on." Sirius added as an afterthought. Remus scowled at him and he grinned.

             "Yeah, I'll play. _Accio Jade_!" she said, relieved that they hadn't invited Charisma.

            "Jade? You _named_ your broomstick?" James asked, disbelief etched on his face as a slender Silver Arrow 3 stopped in front of Lily.

            "Yeah, I've always wanted to name my daughter that, if I ever have one." She said as they walked out of the common room and descended the same staircase Vanessa had earlier.

            "Where did you get that name?" Sirius asked curiously.

            "Oh… this book called Las Pasiones de-" 

            "Occidentales; una historia de amor." Sirius finished for her. He grinned at the surprised look on her face. "Izzy made me read it sometime after Christmas." He explained.

            "But you don't know Spanish."  Lily stated, "Did she give you a translator spell?"

            "Yeah, it took her an hour to perform it on the whole book. It kept translating into German."

            "Yeah, that kept happening when she did it for me too, except it was in some unreadable language. Looked like hieroglyphics… So did you like it?"

            "I enjoyed the countless sex scenes."

            She laughed, "And what about the story itself?"

            "It was very unlikely." He answered thoughtfully,

            "Ahem." Remus cleared his throat, "We would like to be a part of this conversation."

            "Yes, now what are we talking about?" James asked as they turned towards the Quidditch field. They could see Giselle and Vanessa waiting for them there.

            "This book Isabella made me read. It was about this Spanish guy who becomes a foreign exchange student to Morocco and he meets a Moroccan girl while he studied there and they fall in love but he keeps denying it and runs away because he thinks he doesn't deserve her because of his evil past. Thirty years later he bumps into her and finds out that she married a rich, evil bastard. They have an affair and he plots to kill rich, evil bastard. Rich, evil bastard dies and they get back together. They live happily ever after and have kids inexplicably in their fifties. The end. Unrealistic, bad plot, the only credit I would give the author was that she had a great descriptive style." Sirius explained while Lily glared at him playfully when he criticized the plot. They had reached the stands where Vanessa and Giselle were waiting impatiently with Peter.

            "What took so long?" Giselle asked, standing up immediately and rushing down to where they were, broomstick in tow.

            "Nothing. We found another player." James replied, waving a hand in Lily's direction. Giselle glanced at her briefly before turning back to James.

            "We looked everywhere for Charisma…" 

            "Hmm… she wasn't in the common room and we didn't see her on the way here." James replied thoughtfully.

            "So what about the teams? Boys against girls?" Sirius grinned as Vanessa and Peter joined them.

            "That wouldn't be fair at all, you'd beat us for sure!" Vanessa replied, laughing at the ridiculous idea.

            "What are you talking about? We could beat them in a second!" Lily stepped up, indignant that Vanessa would put them down like that.

            "Yeah, you would," Giselle continued matter-of-factly, as if she hadn't heard Lily, "Remus, James, and I'll make one team, I have to be beater though, I suck at anything else, and Vanessa, Sirius, and Lily can make the other." The boys exchanged glances while Lily glared at her for her rudeness.

            "And you, Peter? Aren't you going to play?" Lily asked, unable to ignore his gawking at her any longer.

            "No, I think I'll just watch and keep score." He said, surprisingly calm, walking back to the stands. He climbed back to the seat he was in before, high up and almost parallel to the goal posts, and pulled a large briefcase to the seat next to his.

            "Okay, Giselle, I guess you're beater, I'll be chaser and Remus can be keeper." James ordered naturally, they nodded and mounted their brooms. Lily turned to her team.

            "I'm no good at anything but chaser." She declared.

            "I'm fine with anything." Sirius said, gentlemanlike, turning to Vanessa.

            "I think I'll be keeper." She decided cheerfully.

            "Well, I'm beater on the team so I can do that best here too. Lets mount." Sirius said. They mounted their broomsticks and the two teams faced each other. Remus grinned.

            "How did you get two girls to yourself, Sirius? James and I have to share." He complained jocularly. Sirius grinned complacently and they took off on the count of three. Peter opened the briefcase and threw one bludger up into the air that Sirius flew up to and smacked immediately. After throwing up the quaffle, he threw himself on the case and struggled to close it before the other balls escaped and the game began.

-:- -:- -:-


	8. Prelude to a Ball

            "What are you doing with _your_ hair?" Isabella asked, glancing at Lily who was lying on her four-poster, daydreaming. There were exactly two hours to the ball and while the rest of her dorm-mates were preparing, she divided her time between staring at the ceiling, fantasizing about the ball, and watching Isabella work on Angela's hair at the foot of her bed. Isabella stood up slowly, inspecting her work and pointing her wand at loose strands that curled themselves instantly.

            "I don't know… I'll see…" she replied absent-mindedly. Isabella rolled her eyes, Angela smirked and Vanessa, looking appalled from her seat in front of the mirror at the bed across from them, put down her case of assorted eye shadows and raked a hand through her hair in a highly frustrated manner.

            "Lily!" she cried indignantly, turning around in her chair.

            "Oh lord, not again…" she muttered in return.

            "There are barely two hours left and you're still lying there, staring at the ceiling! When are you going to get ready? I mean, I know you're going with Peter and all but other people will be there too!" Vanessa scolded, watching her sorrowfully.

            "Honestly, I don't see why you care…" Lily replied crossly. Nevertheless, she sat up, cross-legged at the edge of her bed, bent forward and pulled a box out from deep under her mattress. She opened the lid and unfolded a navy-blue dress made of a soft, light material. She felt a tinge of excitement – she hadn't worn a Muggle dress in what seemed ages, and she felt she never would again.

            "I'm going to take a shower." She announced, jumping off the bed and kneeling in front of her trunk, looking for clean underwear.

            "You should have gone earlier. You'll have to use a drying spell when you come out and you know how frizzy they leave your hair…" Giselle said from her spot behind a heap of accessories piled on one side of the room's only desk. She eyed Lily's dark red locks with concern.

            "Don't worry, Lily. I'll leave my Sleazy's Anti-Frizz Topical Potion out for you. But don't use too much, you know how strong that stuff is…" Charisma offered with relish, smiling sweetly and pulling a bottle out of her trunk. Lily was not fooled as she had seen the various looks of disgust Charisma had been throwing at her all day. She glared at her, grabbed her underwear and stomped seething towards the showers. Isabella stifled a laugh at the furious look on Lily's face and Angela settled for an amused expression that she hoped would communicate that she was over-reacting as she passed them.

-:- -:- -:-

            "They've made a mistake!" James declared, throwing down the box he was holding onto his bed angrily. "I should have opened them before…" Remus looked up.

            "What, not your size?" he asked, pulling out his own to check for any defects.

            "No… the size is fine…" he muttered, "But the robes…" Sirius summoned the box from James' hands and almost tore through the contents. He took out his own package and did a similar search while James did his part by grabbing Peter's set and rummaging through that as well.

            "He's right… Quick! Remus, check yours. They forgot to send us the robes with our Tuzeedos!" Sirius said, annoyed. Remus looked confused for a second before he started laughing. The three of them stared at him impatiently.

            "_Tuxedos_, as they are called by most Muggles, don't come with robes…" Remus explained, surprised that they hadn't known this already. "Muggles don't wear robes to cover what they're wearing. You don't wear robes with Tuxedos." He clarified as Sirius began spreading the garments on his bed and picking at the buttons on his jacket tentatively.

            "Don't they feel naked?" he muttered sadly as Peter eyed his own with distaste, picking up his tie.

            "We're supposed to tie this… this "tie" thing around our necks?" he asked, disappointed when Remus nodded confidently, "I bet we're the only ones who actually listened to Dumbledore. I bet we're the only ones who'll wear these…"

            "Well, we know the Slytherins won't. They'd rather bathe in a tub of grease than dress like Muggles…" James said, scornfully.

            "Oh but bathing in a tub of grease is not a punishment for the almighty Slytherins. Just look at Snape, he does it all the time." Sirius amended picking his dark blue, silk tie out of the package.

            "Damned, suicidal Muggles…"

-:- -:- -:- 

            Lily walked back into her dormitory in a bathrobe topped with a soaking wet mop of hair. She sat on her four-poster and tossed her hair out of her face, shaking water at the other occupants with every turn of her head.

            "Couldn't dry your hair, could you?" Isabella asked, wiping the water off her cheek.

            "Feeling better?" Angela arched an eyebrow at her flushed cheeks and bright smile while she tied Isabella's hair up into an elaborate twist, leaving several tendrils to frame her face. She added tiny, jeweled pins to finish off her masterpiece. 

            "Yeah, much better. Where have the insolent witch and her faithful slaves gotten to? I was looking forward to drying my hair on her dress…" she asked with a bitter smile. Isabella laughed.

            "Charisma and her faithful slaves have gone down already to wait for dear James-ey." Angela answered.

            "And most people in the wizarding world don't take it as an insult when you call them a witch… unless the person is a wizard, of course." Isabella reminded her.

            "Ugh… I wish I could hex the life out of her and not rot in Azkaban for it…" she sighed wearily.

            "Or you can just hex her a couple of times and show her who's boss…" Isabella suggested instead.

            "Or I can modify her and James' memories and convince them that they hate each other. Maybe I can tie them to other people too… Yes, I could convince Charisma that she's madly in love with Peter…" Lily said, conjuring a towel and tousling her hair roughly with it, trying to dry it.

            "Or you can just hex her…" Isabella repeated, admiring the reflection of herself in her royal purple dress in the large mirror. The thin straps were tied at the back of her neck and the low cut dress was backless with a snug fit down to her lower waist where it loosened slightly, accentuating her hips from which the soft, heavy material hung down to the floor. Isabella pulled an old case from her trunk and opened it to reveal a family heirloom set that her grandmother had sent her for the occasion. She slipped a rusted black-silver band topped with a single amethyst onto her slender middle finger, clasped a matching silver bracelet studded with amethysts onto her wrist and a longer version of the bracelet around her neck. The beautiful job that Angela had done with her hair added to her image of style and elegance. 

            "You'll get caught if you do any of those things, and Charisma could use it against you too…" Angela pointed out, sighing as she watched Isabella twirl in front of the mirror. 

            "Yeah, I guess… Should I use a drying charm on my hair?" Lily asked, finally tired of her towel-dry method, which she had been working on vigorously in the last few minutes. 

            "No… you have more than an hour to get ready, I'm sure it will dry by then…" Isabella answered, touching up on her make up.

            "Whatever you do, don't use that Sleazy's crap Charisma left for you. I think she might have tampered with it…" Angela informed them, kneeling on the floor beside her bed, struggling to pull out a large trunk from underneath it. She made progress, inch by inch.

            "What! How do you know?" Isabella asked, the open lipstick dropping from her hand and squashing into a small pile of mush on the floor, "Shit…" she exclaimed, bending down carefully to clean it up and, remembering her wand half-way, standing up again and cleaning it with a simple flick.

            "She poured some of it into a little container for Lily and I saw her adding something to it…" she answered, and with a last tug, pulled the trunk out completely.  Isabella walked swiftly over to Charisma's bed and picked up the glass vial, examining its clear contents closely. Lily stood up and joined her, trying to comb her furiously messy hair.

            "Looks normal to me…" she muttered, eyeing it closely and wincing as she tried to pull the comb through a particularly large tangle.

            "Lily! I have the perfect idea!" Isabella exclaimed mischievously. 

            "What?" Lily asked and Angela looked up from her task of unlocking the trunk. They watched Isabella summon Charisma's pillow, open the vial and hold it poised over, tilted at an angle so the gel slowly slid towards the tiny opening. She looked at them imploringly.

            "Should we?" she asked. Angela nodded slowly, am evil smile spreading across her face. Lily watched the gel slide, painfully slow, towards the opening with glee.

            "Hold on. I want to do the honors, since she meant it for my hair. But wait, let me get dressed first, my hair isn't wet enough to mess up the material now." Lily said, prying the vial out of a very annoyed Isabella's hand, replacing its cap and putting it on her dresser. She then picked up her dress and disappeared into the bathroom. Isabella sighed, as though she had missed out on a great treat, and turned to Angela.

            "What _is_ that?" she asked, watching Angela place a key into the last of five holes and turning it. The trunk opened with a click and revealed four large packages, four pairs of shoes and four small cases.

            "Ah… your clothes…" she answered for herself. She gave her a hesitant smile and wondered what her reaction would be.

            "Mother sent this to me a few days ago…through Dumbledore, of course." Angela started grimly, "You know what she wants for me and it applies for this event too. She wants me to be beautiful, she wants me to be elegant, she wants me to rub our wealth in all those commoners' faces, and – the most important of all – she wants me to secure a _gentleman_ willing to marry me who must be pure-blooded so we can continue the Heathers line untainted…" she sighed. She pulled out the first large package and ripped the brown paper off carefully.

            "Remus…?" Isabella asked, taking out the second package and gently tearing the wrapping off.

            "I don't know if he qualifies."

            "Well, it doesn't really matter 'cause you don't care."

            "It _does_ matter." Angela muttered defensively, unfolding the gown she had just taken out of the its packaging.

            "What matters?" Lily asked, walking towards them. 

            "I love the dress!" Angela exclaimed, somewhat grateful for the interruption. Isabella sighed; she knew their conversation had just ended.

            "Yeah, that's a great color on you." Isabella commented. Lily beamed at them happily and clasped a thin silver chain from which hung a single blue crystal rose around her neck. The dress she wore was a midnight blue and sleeveless with tiny spaghetti-straps that formed a perfectly rectangular neck. Below it's empire waist, the silky material was covered with sheer netting of the same color with silver embroidery of leaves and vines, that parted in the middle and flowed out longer than the rest of the dress, dragging on the floor around her. She walked over to her dresser and picked up the vial of hair potion.

            "Ready?" She asked. Isabella and Angela scrambled to her side, the former holding out Charisma's pillow and the latter conjuring a silver butter knife. Lily unscrewed the lid and tilted the bottle over the pillow. They watched, grinning excitedly as thick, clear globs dropped onto the pillow. Angela started spreading it across the white surface, forming a glossy coat.

            "Is this some new beauty remedy?" A voice asked from behind them. Angela shrieked and the knife flew up in the air, landing with a clatter, narrowly missing her toes. Lily jumped, dropping the empty vial and Isabella reached out the pillow just in time to catch it before it shattered.

            "SIRIUS! What the hell are you doing here?" Isabella turned to him, scowling angrily.

            "Well, James is with his girlfriend and Peter kept whining about his clothes until Remus managed to shut him up with chess and then I got bored and-"

            "Sirius, get out!" she interrupted, putting the pillow aside and pushing him towards the door.

            "Why?"

            "Because you've scared the shit out of us and I might just bash your head into the wall if you annoy me any more!" She opened the door and tried to push him out but he had his feet planted firmly on the ground and was gripping the doorframe with all his might.

            "Calm down, Izzy! Why are you so mad? It's not my fault you didn't notice me coming in…"

            "Get out!" she reiterated. He let go of the wall and allowed himself to be pushed out but very slowly.

            "Okay, sure. I'll go down there and tell…" he peered at the six four-posters to see which was missing a pillow, "_Charisma _that you're all pouring some potion onto her pillow…" he finished, arching an eyebrow at their angry faces.

            "Get in here!" Isabella snarled, pulling him back inside and slamming the door behind him. He walked over to the pillow and examined it. After a minute, he poked a finger into the shiny substance, rubbed it between his index and thumb and looked up at them curiously.

            "May I ask why you've spread Sleazy's Anti-Frizz Topical Potion onto Charisma's pillow?" The three of them stared at each other before Lily sighed.

            "Charisma gave me some to use before she left and Angela saw her adding something to it so we thought we'd get her back…"

            "Why would she do that?" he asked dubiously.

            "Because she hates me. She thinks I like James or something and she keeps accusing me of trying to take him away from her."

            "Oh okay then. Do you know what she added?"

            "No. What do you mean 'oh okay'? I don't get why she picks on me. Why not Izzy or Angie or Vanessa or Giselle?" she asked despairingly. He plopped himself onto the nearest bed and Angela went back to unpacking her trunk.

            "That's easy. She knows that me and Izzy are together, James has never hung out with Vanessa or Giselle until he met Charisma and they're not interested in him anyway and its obvious Angela's madly in love with Remus and that leaves you." He answered, grinning at the embarrassed glare that Angela shot him.

            "I still don't understand. There are dozens of girls that follow James around all the time, why me?"

            "Because James doesn't care about those girls and Charisma can see that you two are friends, you have something with him that she doesn't." She opened her mouth to protest but then closed it again, thinking over what he said.

            "Exactly. For once Sirius isn't being an idiot, Lily, and he's right. Now you can go." Isabella said, turning to Sirius.

            "Aw, c'mon. I just gave Lily brilliant insight, why can't I stay?" he said, pouting ridiculously. She looked around the room and her eyes fell on Angela.

            "Because you're intruding on poor Angie. Look at her, she can't dress with you sitting here." She said, hands on her hips, as though accusing him of a horrible crime.

            "Oh, she doesn't mind."

            "Yeah, I don't. Look here for a sec?" Angela asked, standing in front of her bed where she had spread the four gowns. Lily, Isabella and Sirius walked to her side and peered at them. The first two were the exact same thing, one a soft pink and the other an ice blue. The princess-style gowns had small cap-sleeves, a fitted bodice and a voluminous skirt. The skirt was trimmed with and the bodice embroidered with lines of iridescent sequins that crossed and twisted to form an intricate vine-like pattern. The third gown was an ankle-length dark red of a soft, shiny material that felt like liquid to touch. It's stringy straps and fitted bodice glittered golden from different angles and the burgundy skirt hung down limply. The last dress was simple, an emerald green heavy skirt that flared out was topped with a black velvet strapless bodice and piece of cloth to drape about the arms fashioned from the same material. Angela watched their reactions of awe, "Which should I wear?"

            "Ooh, feel this…" Lily muttered, her hands running through the red-gold dress. Sirius immediately took her advice while Isabella looked at the choices inquisitively.

            "She wants you to wear one of these..." She said, smirking at Angela and pointing to the pink and blue princess style dresses.

            "Yeah, I think so too… that's why she sent two and the others are nothing compared to them anyway. I suppose she still wanted to give me some sort of choice…"

            "Or the illusion of…" Lily muttered now looking at the last two dresses with an expression of distaste.

            "So the blue or the pink?" Sirius asked, scrutinizing the first two.

            "I don't know."

            "Blue." Isabella and Sirius said simultaneously.

            "Pink." Lily said a second later.

            "I think I'll go with blue then. I'm rather not in the mood for pink right now." Angela answered, picking up the blue dress and with a flick of her wand, banishing the other three to the old trunk. She took out the jewelry and shoes that came with the gown and stared at Sirius imploringly. He sighed and left the room and Angela pulled on the dress, struggling to fasten the dozen buttons that ran down her back.

-:- -:- -:-

            "Angie, slow down and cover me!" Lily whispered from behind. Angela rolled her eyes but slowed her pace considerably and Lily abruptly stumbled on the sizable bottom half of her dress.

            "Lily!" she cried, holding onto the banister to stable herself and turning to face the apologetic smile on her friend's face. She sighed and hurried down the stairs, daintily holding onto her skirt as she walked towards Remus and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. He kissed her cheek and said something that made her giggle and answer him, blushing. Lily glared at the two of them and continued down the stairs as slow as possible. Isabella snorted behind her.

            "Nice move there, Lily. Real smooth." She said, smirking and skipping two steps so that she was next to her, Lily swiftly stepped back and walked behind her.

            "Izzy, please cover me!" she said urgently, quickening her pace when they reached the common room, struggling to stay close behind her. Isabella didn't answer and instead walked towards Sirius, smiling at his crisp black tuxedo and arching an eyebrow at the tie that hung, knotted loosely at his chest.

            "Wow! You look great!" he exclaimed, looking her up and down.

            "Oh, don't look at me like that, you saw me upstairs and you didn't say anything then…" she said in mock fury.

            "Well, I would have if you weren't so busy trying to throw me out while you-aachh!" he gagged as she took it upon herself to tighten his tie. She bit her lip, quickly loosened it a little and reached up to kiss him and prevent further comments. Lily, who had been watching them with amusement now looked around the room that was crowded with Gryffindors, first year and up, waiting for their dates.

            "Oh good, Lily. You've come." Sirius said, noticing the redhead hovering about behind Isabella. Remus and Angela had joined them, looking very formal with their arms linked and decorated by Angela's fabulous attire. Sirius and Remus exchanged identical grins.

            "Oh Peter!" Sirius called, despite Isabella's slapping his arm in an attempt to stop him.

            "No, no, no…" Lily mumbled, frantically skirting around Isabella who stepped aside uncomfortably.

            "Lily's waiting for you!" Remus yelled to a figure near the fireplace. He jumped up at his words and walked towards them. Lily, ducking behind Remus to seek refuge on the floor, covered by Angela's dress, just happened to peek out and catch his eye. Peter walked towards her and found her kneeling.

            "You look really nice!" he said, beaming at her, his cheeks flushed.

            "Er… Thankyou, Peter." She forced a smile on her face and stood up, "Let's go!". Peter colored more at her newfound enthusiasm and hardly noticed that she was practically dragging him out of the portrait hole and towards the Great Hall, so thrilled as he was at her holding his hand. Their friends followed them out of the common room, trying not to laugh out loud.

            "Oh you guys, that was really mean…" Angela said as they strolled through the corridor, Lily and Peter a good six yards ahead of them.

            "No it wasn't, Lily can't just hide from Peter when she _voluntarily_ decided to go with him." Sirius pointed out while Remus nodded in agreement.

            "Oh c'mon, you know you would've done the same if you were in Lily's place…" Isabella said as they turned a corner and the doors to the Great hall stood open at the end of the corridor.

            "I don't know, Izzy. If Peter had asked me, Sirius Black, to the Anniversary Ball, I would have been horrified and concerned at the state of our friendship…" he mused and the others laughed. They could see the couples inside, dancing as the music had already commenced. Lily and Peter were almost at the door now.

            "Well, if I were Lily, I wouldn't have said 'yes' if I was planning to abandon him at the door and run off with the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain…" Remus added, nodding towards Lily who had just stepped inside with Amir Patil and immediately started dancing. Peter turned around and watched them approach with a grim smile on his face, along with a glaring blond girl dressed in emerald green who's face lit up instantly when she recognized Sirius.

            "Oh no…" he groaned, putting his arm around Isabella.

            "Ignore her, ignore her, ignore her…" Isabella muttered, burying her head into his chest possessively.

-:- -:- -:-


	9. The Anniversary Ball

            Two hours later Lily found herself at the long, narrow drinks table, delicately ladling some pumpkin juice into a small four-ounce cup and sipping it. She moved onto the next large crystal bowl, brought her face as close as she could to the contents without touching it, and peered into the shiny silver-green glutinous substance. A hand brushed against her cheek as it reached for the dipper and poured some into it's own cup. She assumed it was Amir who had been with her at the Pumpkin juice bowl previously but was proved wrong when they spoke.

            "We're drinking right out of the bowl now, are we?" the voice asked watching her pull her head back out, but still not facing him.

            "James…" she said, tearing her eyes off the mesmerizing liquid that was turning purple before her eyes to look at James who started to pant obnoxiously and slurp the drink out of his cup, his eyes wide, mocking her. Her mouth twitched but she held back her initial reaction and settled for glaring at him impatiently until he got tired of his act. "What is this?" she asked, pointing to the liquid that was slowly changing from purple-gold to a metallic pink.

            "No idea, its good though. It tastes like liquid sugar or something else... try it with your pumpkin juice. Hey, what's up!" 

            "Hey James." Amir returned as he joined them, drinking cheerfully.

            "Eww, no!" Lily said, looking shocked at James.

            "Fine then, _I_ will." He answered, pouring some of Lily's pumpkin juice carelessly into his cup, spilling some on the floor in the process. He shook the cup and the two juices swirled, changing rapidly into a bottomless black and they looked at the vile colored liquid curiously. James shrugged, gulped it down quickly and immediately choked, spitting black, inky liquid all over the tablecloth. Lily looked fearful and nauseated as she patted his back frantically while he coughed. Amir, laughing excessively, generously handed him some napkins and from a few feet away Charisma abandoned her dance partner and ran over to her boyfriend who was doubled up with laughter and a coughing fit, wiping his mouth on a napkin indulgently. She shot Lily a furious look and took up rubbing his back while people around them watched, confused as to whether they should laugh or call the nurse.

"I'm okay, I'm okay…" James gasped, gently pushing Charisma's hand away from his back, "That was really good, you should try it, Lil'" he said, grinning at Lily while Amir's laughter subsided.

"Yeah, right." She said dryly, wiping a bit of spit off her arm with a white napkin. She glanced at the white tablecloth and was astonished to see the black spots slowly fade away before her eyes.

"Hmm… it _was_ a little too peppery and it kind of burned... Maybe some butterbeer would help?" he asked, spooning a great dollop of the tan liquid from a few bowls away into the cup. He sipped the now red drink and swallowed thoughtfully.

"Perfect! C'mon Lily, try it." He persisted; clearly enjoying the revolted look she gave him while he pushed it under her nose. He sighed in resignation and turned to Charisma instead, "Care for a sip?". She shook her head smilingly and asked what it tasted like. He took another sip.

"Its sweet and a bit tangy and the butterbeer made it thicker and – well – buttery. And it's less peppery now…" Amir looked at it with interest and suddenly added a dollop each of butterbeer and the mysterious color-changing drink into his pumpkin juice. He sipped it.

"Mmm, this _is_ really good." He muttered, finishing the whole thing in one huge gulp. James grinned at him and extended his cup towards Lily again. She looked at Amir, as though asking for permission and when he nodded, poked her finger into the cup and licked it tentatively. Charisma, unable to tolerate Lily's daring to stick her _finger_ into James' cup, turned to him before she could comment on the new drink.

"Why don't we dance?" she asked, grabbing his arm insistently. He looked at Amir.

"Great idea, mind if we switch partners for now? I haven't danced with Lily tonight and I must, as it is my duty as a friend…" he said. Charisma looked at Lily venomously who smirked in return as Amir grasped her hand and pulled her towards the dance floor, inquiring why he'd never seen her before. Lily smiled lazily and allowed herself to be pulled into the crowd.

"Lily, I need to talk to you about something…" he started as the Melody Mermen struck up a new, slower tune. The band played from behind a glass wall that separated them from their audience and filled with water to resemble a kind of gigantic aquarium. A spell was cast on the wall so that people outside would hear the beautiful music in English instead of the ear splitting screeching and wailing the Mermish lyrics would normally translate to.

"Go ahead." Lily answered, placing one hand on his shoulder and clasping his with the other while James wrapped his free hand around her waist.

"Well Lily, yesterday I spent a good fifteen minutes of my time teaching you how to dance with people of …uh… specific proportions and I'm insulted that you still haven't put your new talent to use. I've noticed that you've danced with practically everyone of any importance but your date."

"I _did_ dance with him!" she lied huffily.

"No you didn't." he frowned at her, annoyed.

"How would you know? Have you been watching me all this time??" she cried indignantly.

"No…" he said, looking at something over her head, beyond her. She steered him around until she stood in his place and caught a glimpse of a table with six people staring straight at her before they all became extremely interested in the crystal plates and glasses in front of them. She fumed at the sight of this and glared at James.

"Why can't anyone mind their own business?"

"Lily! Just look at him! He's been sitting there sulking all this time! How can you let him down like that?" She considered his words.

"You'll all leave me alone if I dance with him?" she said icily.

"I promise on our part." He said sincerely. She dropped his hand and pulled away from him suddenly, as though he had scorched her and stalked off towards the table where her friends sat. James followed her quickly, not wanting people to notice that his partner had just ran off mid-dance. Remus and Angela left the table as they approached and Isabella conversed animatedly with Leila and Peter over Sirius who muttered several commands to his plate in rapid succession and watched gleefully as it desperately tried to fulfill them. When Lily stood over the table and James took a seat next to Isabella, the plate was piled high with everything from meatballs to ice cream to even a muddy boot and a gold chain that Sirius picked out of a scoop of mashed potatoes and handed to Isabella who, in turn, took it with two fingers and casually wiped it clean with a wet napkin. Lily walked around the table to Peter, took his hand and pulled him out of his chair in a manner that could be argued as either violent or very enthusiastic.

"C'mon Pete, we're going to go dance." She said, steering him towards the less crowded area, right in front of the glass aquarium where the music blasted so loudly that there was no hope for conversation.

-:- -:- -:-

"I think _you_ should tell him." Isabella suggested, her arms wrapped loosely about Sirius' neck and her head reclining on his shoulder. He hugged her closer as they turned slowly to the music.

"What happened exactly?" he asked, after a prolonged silence and a deep sigh.

"I told you. She just started accusing Lily of being jealous of her. She said something about how Lily's trying to 'giggle' her way into James' heart, whatever that's supposed to mean, and I think she called Lily a whore." She answered, smiling at a girl nearby that was glaring at her.

"Hmm…and when was this?"

"Yesterday, right before Lily went to play Quidditch with you guys…so you're going to tell him?"

"No." he answered bluntly. She picked up her head and pulled back slightly to look at him, surprised.

"Why not? There's something wrong with her. And James is an idiot for not noticing it every time she gives Lily a nasty look or tries to get her away from him, which is every time they're together." She added bitterly.

            "That's why. He doesn't know that she does that stuff because she's obviously doing it at times when he doesn't see it. He's not going to believe me. Besides, she can't stop Lily from being James' friend. Maybe I'll tell him if something else happens."

            "Yeah, I guess you're right…" she sighed. The song ended and a new much faster one started. Isabella gave an excited squeal. "I love this song!! They hardly play it anymore…" Sirius grinned and started dancing wildly to the music that was getter faster and louder, still holding a laughing Isabella's hand who was very unstable in her high heels. The surrounding couples backed away and watched them in astonishment. Some joined, including Professor Drake who seemed to be forcing the young, stern, Transfiguration witch, Professor McGonagall, to actually move in rhythm with the music, but nobody danced as raucously as Sirius.

            "You call that dancing, Black? You look more like a limping hag!" Someone called from the very front of the crowd when Sirius did a sort of complicated foot-tapping, now completely detached form Isabella who still danced normally in front of him, laughing hysterically. He ignored the speaker, Severus Snape, and grabbed Isabella's hand, twirling her round and round, faster and faster.

"Your girlfriend looks ready to barf …" He drawled, sneering at her paling face. Sirius continued to act as though he hadn't heard him but ceased spinning her around as she _was _turning a bit green and had gone from laughing to smiling weakly.

"Oh, my mistake, she _always_ looks like that…" he finished. Sirius suddenly whirled around and drew his wand from his pocket. He pointed it at a shocked and unarmed Snape and narrowed his eyes in concentration. A few seconds later, the brown, sleek head of a horse protruded from Snape's collar, topping the rest of his body, which remained intact. A number of teachers ran to the scene and surrounded Snape while most of the student body were either laughing or trying to see what was going on. Professor McGonagall rounded on Sirius.

"Thirty points from Gryffindor, Mr. Black!" she spat, her nostrils flared in anger and her hat askew. "Detention for the next two weeks! How dare you attempt transfiguration on a fellow student, and fail at it too! Mr. Snape will be in the infirmary for at least a night to repair!" She barked. Sirius tried to look apologetic but couldn't help laughing when Snape threw up his arms and neighed indignantly at him from behind her.

"And hand over the wand." She demanded, her hand outstretched for the thin strip of wood in his left hand. He backed up a step.

"No, no Professor… I promise not to use it…" he pleaded.

"Hand it over or you're out! You've caused enough trouble with that thing already. First the goblets and now this!" He hesitated but then surrendered the wand, muttering under his breath about how the goblets were harmless. Earlier in the evening he had enchanted about ten crystal goblets filled to the brim with different drinks to follow the first-years and hover precariously over their heads. Several of them had gone to Professor McGonagall, complaining about the sticky drops of juice in their hair and pointing angrily at the tall, laughing sixth-year. With a last disapproving scowl, Professor McGonagall gently pushed Snape out of the hall as quickly as possible. The hushed crowd that had gathered around the scene dispatched and left Sirius staring after his victim, looking quite put out. James strode over to him grinning and led him to the drinks table.

"That was great! Would've done it myself but… you know, there's only so much the badge allows…" he trailed away, hitting Sirius square on the back proudly. 

"Wow… and we only learned human transfigurations last week!" Peter beamed as he approached.

"Well, technically I did it wrong…"

"But what happened was _much_ better." He cut in encouragingly. Sirius smiled as he looked around for Isabella, disappointed to see that she was back in the crowd and hadn't even acknowledged what he'd done.

"So what did he do to get you so pissed off?" James interjected his thoughts eagerly.

"I wasn't even listening, really. But he kept saying stuff to me, probably insults, you know… and he was getting in my way so I thought I'd show him." He lied nonchalantly, secretly very annoyed that he had just lost free afternoons for two weeks, his wand for tonight, and thirty points for Gryffindor defending his girlfriend that was now off ungratefully dancing with some big, Slytherin bloke…

"Cool, too bad we weren't there too…" 

"Yeah, we could've had detention together…"

"Uhuh, where's Remus?"

-:- -:- -:-

            "Angie, where are we going?" Remus asked for what seemed to him the hundredth time. She mumbled something incoherent as she pulled him around a corner, one hand gripping his right wrist and the other holding onto her dress, impatiently lifting the voluminous skirts as she struggled to climb a flight of stairs. She finally came to a stop and let go of him when they reached an old mirror framed with an old, rusty golden pattern of leaves on what he thought was the end of the fourth floor corridor. She looked at it thoughtfully and then, glancing at his bewildered expression in the reflection, she reached up and traced a finger over the three largest leaves and the vines that connected them. She stepped back and Remus watched in astonishment as the mirror cracked and then dissolved, leaving a dark gaping hole in its place. Angela walked in, pulling him with her once more and the mirror appeared back in place to shut the hole behind them, its reverse side illuminating a stone passageway with a cheerful yellow glow.

"Whoa… how'd you find this?" he asked, looking at her in awe.

"Family secret." She replied with a smirk, still pulling him along. They came to a fork and two smaller passages branched out, equally illuminated from the light of the mirror, though he couldn't imagine how it had traveled so far. They took the left path and climbed a long spiraling flight of stairs until they reached a landing with a door about four feet high. Angela turned the knob and they ducked through to yet another small staircase and then climbed out of a trap door. They were on the roof, on top of one of the towers. Remus looked down and saw the trapdoor vanish.

"If this is a family secret, why am I here?" he asked while Angela walked to a stone bench and placed a hand on its back. He watched as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, placed them on top of the bench and leaned on it, her back to him. He sighed and took in his surroundings. They were definitely on top of a tower, and since there was a view of a great black mass to his right, the Forbidden Forest, they were at the west side of the castle. The open rooftop itself had a surprisingly clean gray, stone floor, a thick hedge about fifteen feet in height ran along the middle, to his left and two benches long enough to lie on situated several feet apart, one near the hedge and the other near the trapdoor. He recognized the hedge and realized that they must be on the other side of the astronomy tower.

"Angela? What are we doing here?" he asked uncertainly since she had ignored his previous question. She was still leaning against the bench back, gazing at the stars and turned around slowly.

"I wanted to tell you something." She said finally, leaning against the bench and facing him now. She took a deep breath.

"Okay…" he said uneasily, she looked very serious.

"Remus, I like you." She said, staring at him intently and pausing for a reaction.

"Um…" he uttered intelligently, his eyebrows raised at these unexpected words. "Uh… I…uh…"

"I've had a crush on you since third year…no, second… I don't know, it was sometime after Lily and James got to be friends and we all started hanging out together. Anyway… I'm sure you must've noticed that I usually act like an ass around you…"

"No… no you-"

"This probably isn't new news for you. Sirius told me before the ball that everyone knows that I like you."

"What? He…when…"

"But the way you act around me is really getting to me."

"What do you mean?" he asked quickly, managing to finish his sentence without interruption.

"Ugh!" she ran a hand over her face, from forehead to chin in frustration. "I've been thinking about telling you this for a long time…"

"That you like me?"

"No… not that. It's just… I think it'll mess up our relationship..."

"What will?"

"I wouldn't have started this if I thought you didn't like me…"

"Okay..." 

"I know Charisma was right." She seemed to be talking to herself now. She was staring into space, one hand on her neck, toying with her locket and the other still holding the back of the bench.

"Charisma? What are you talking about?" he asked, taking a step towards her. She let go of the bench and walked towards the hedge, now leaning against the other bench.

"You wouldn't have asked me to the ball if you didn't like me. I know I wasn't just a last resort." 

"Angela, _what_ are you talking about?" He ran a hand through his hair, this was getting annoying.

"Why don't you ask me out?" she asked suddenly, now looking at him.

"Okay… Angie, d'you want to go out sometime? Maybe we can get some butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks next Saturday. We can get there, Hogsmeade weekend or not." He said with a mischievous smile on his face.

"No! I mean, yes… I meant… why didn't you ask me out before?"

"I don't know…"

"I know you like me, Remus. Why do you act the way you do?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're such a jerk sometimes."

"What? How am I being a jerk?"

"Not now. Sometimes you act like a friend. Like Lily, and Isabella, and Sirius, and James, and you know… But other times you act like such a jerk, you barely even talk to me." Her eyes were watering up and she bit her lips. Remus sighed in frustration, trying to keep from yelling at her.

"Look, Angie, listen. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm really sorry if I do that to you, I guess I just don't notice…"

"You _don't notice_?"

"Well…"

"You _don't notice_ sometimes when we're sitting in the common room and you haven't said a word to me all day?" She paused, looking at him in disbelief, "You _don't notice_ it when you snap at me just because I put my arm around you? You _don't notice_ how one day you hang out with only me and the next day you ignore me?" she yelled tremblingly.

"No, it's not that. Don't cry, don't cry…" he said, panicking from his spot two yards away from her. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I do it but I _do_ notice. I promise I won't do it again…" Tears were running down her cheeks now as she backed into the hedge with her left hand behind her back and the other hand frantically wiping her face. He crinkled his brow, he could hear faint 'pop!'s coming from behind her.

"Oh God, you know you're just saying that to shut me up."

"You're right, I am, but I _will_ try not to do that again." She glared at him through tears and he rolled his eyes despite himself, "I don't understand why you're crying…"

"I only have two years!" she cried indignantly, as though this was obvious.

"For what?!" he growled angrily, tired of how vague she was being.

"And I know you like me but I don't want to pressure you." She went on.

"Pressure me? What do you think you're doing now?"

"I'm sorry, Remus but… I don't have much time…and since you like me…"

"Where did you get that? I never said I liked you, why do you keep saying that!" he barked, one of his hands at the back of his head, gripping his hair tightly and his other fist clenched. She gasped, shaking her head and stepped aside to reveal a large hole in the hedge. Her wand was out and it was pointed at the woody stems and leaves that looked as through they'd been blasted apart. Suddenly and quickly she started bending through the hole with great care not to rip or scratch her dress. Remus ran forward and grabbed her hand, pulling it back to his side of the hedge.

"Let go, Remus! Forget this ever happened! I can't believe I just said all that…" she said, trying to wrench her hand out of his grasp.

"I'm sorry Angela, I didn't mean it…I don't know why I said that." He said sincerely, aware that she was digging her nails into his skin.

"You don't know why you do anything, do you?" She spat and finally pulled her wrist out of his grip. "_Reparo!_" she said, just as he reached out for it again. The hole replaced itself instantly, while his hand was in between. He cried out and she winced but ran through the dozens of telescopes used for astronomy lessons towards the door. 

He heard a door slam on the other side and tried to breathe evenly despite the pain and panic coursing through him at having his arm, wrist to forearm, stuck in a twiggy hedge. He wished desperately for his wand right now and wanted to kick himself for not doing as Sirius had done and extended the pockets of his slacks to fit one in. He took a deep breath and pulled his arm out of the hedge as fast as he could, cursing and blinking back tears as the twigs tore through his skin. With a final tug, it was out, his jacket sleeve torn up and his arm, elbow down, bleeding profusely. He had to go to Madam Pomfrey for this, he decided, looking around for an exit and realizing that he had no idea where that trap door was. He ran over to the area he thought it might be in, a few feet from the bench that was farther away from the hedge, and kneeled, running his uninjured hand frantically across the smooth stone floor, hoping to find its outline. At last, when every spot around the bench was tainted with drops of blood, he stood up angrily and paced around it.

"Where the hell did you get that wand?" he muttered, thinking of how she had stood with her hand behind her back, with her wand pointed at the hedge and blasting it apart, no doubt. "Damn it, Angela!" he yelled, stopping to kick the bench with all his might. It glowed yellow and he froze as it slowly rumbled. He watched, astonished, as it moved aside to reveal a flight of stairs that descended from the tower, illuminated with the same yellow light that the passage they had used to arrive had been. Cradling his bloody arm to his chest, he wasted no time in dashing down the steps, silently congratulating himself for finding an exit by himself and not waiting to be rescued as he had planned earlier.

-:- -:- -:-

A/N: OKAY, END OF CHAPTER 8. 

I LOVE HEARING WHAT MY READERS THINK (hint, hint)


	10. Hair Loss

            "Lily, wake up! It's 8:30!" Isabella said, pulling her curtains open to a flood of sunlight. Angela threw her legs over the side of her bed and yawned with her face in her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. She looked around blearily and fixed her tired gaze on the figure pulling on black, uniform robes that was Isabella.

            "Its so early…" she whined, rubbing her eyes and standing up. Lily sat up suddenly and almost fell off the bed, her legs were so tangled up in her blanket.

            "We have classes, don't we?" she asked urgently, wide-awake as she pulled her hair back into an untidy ponytail.

            "Yeah, but calm down, not until ten. They're delayed, remember?" Isabella said, looking at their alarmed faces with amusement.

            "But I thought we were getting the day off…really?" Angela asked, raking a hand through her tangled blond hair and standing up.

            "Oh yeah, Dumbledore announced it at the end of the ball yesterday…" Lily remembered distractedly, taking out her robes.

            "But Angie here ran off with Remus before that, right?" Isabella said, a sly smile on her face as Lily turned around to grin at her. Angela ignored them and started pulling out her robes.

            "Anyway, did you see Charisma this morning?" Lily asked Isabella eagerly.

            "No, they all left before I was up. Don't worry, we'll see her in Transfiguration, its what we have first today. I'm starving, lets get down to breakfast." Isabella added, seeing that Lily was dressed and Angela was brushing her hair, her robes out on her bed.

            "Save me a seat, I think I'll take a quick shower now." She said, putting down the brush and walking briskly towards the showers. Lily and Isabella shrugged at each other.

-:- -:- -:-

            The Great Hall was crowded with tired students at 9 AM as Angela walked towards the Gryffindor table, her heart sinking at how scarce empty seats were. She smiled at Isabella who had saved a seat for her between herself and James. Pulling out her chair, she looked up and groaned inwardly when she saw Remus seated across from her, in between Lily and Sirius, watching her sit down with a blank look on his face. She gave him a small, uncertain smile that he arched an eyebrow at and sighed as Lily talked about the ball.

            "Here Angie, I don't want my sausage anymore…" she paused to say, forking a fried link onto her plate. She looked at it for a second, picked up her fork and knife, and daintily sliced it into bite-sized pieces. Isabella watched her, giggling.

            "What?" she asked, pressing her fork into one of her perfect pieces and bringing it up to her mouth.

            "Nothing, Angela, nothing…" she said, still laughing, but now it was directed at Sirius. Angela put down her utensils, picked up her napkin and was dabbing at the corners of her mouth when she looked up. Sirius was chopping up his own sausage into tiny pieces, chewing each morsel slowly and carefully and then cleaning his mouth with his napkin exaggeratedly. He caught her eye and she snorted mid-chew, spitting a mouthful into her napkin as they all laughed. Remus smirked at her.

            "Guess what I saw last night when I had to go to the Hospital Wing?" he started, watching her look startled for a second and then gulp the drink in her goblet.

            "What?" James asked after taking a heaping spoonful of cereal, milk dripping down his chin. Angela instinctively handed him a napkin, called him a pig, and he sloppily wiped his mouth and placed the used material on her plate. Glaring at him, she continued to eat around it.

            "Why were you at the Hospital Wing?" Lily asked, glancing at Angela whom Remus was staring at coldly.

            "Just a couple scratches." He answered, pouring some water down his throat but not taking his eyes off a fidgety Angela.

            "So what did you see?" Isabella asked, also looking from Angela to Remus and then sharing a curious glance with Lily.

            "McGonagall and Pomfrey were with some kid with a horse's head," he brought his fork up to his mouth and started chewing, "Pomfrey didn't fuss, she healed my arm and gave me some nasty potion to put on for later."

            "Well, that's a first." Sirius muttered thoughtfully.

            "You saw some kid with a horse's head?" Angela asked, looking at him skeptically while she drained a goblet full of pumpkin juice and filled it up again, arching a thin, cool eyebrow at the annoyed look he was giving her. They both looked a bit startled when James, Sirius, Isabella, and Peter (sitting on Isabella's other side) burst out laughing. Lily smiled.

            "That must've been Snape. I heard some kid tried to transfigure him into a horse but all he got was his head." She explained.

            "Some kid? Lily that was Sirius! Honestly, where were you?" James said, as Remus turned to grin at his friend.

            "Really? Wish I was there… what's your punishment?"

            "McGonagall took my wand. Thirty points from Gryffindor. Detention for the next two weeks." He answered shortly. They stared at him for a minute, surprised at his grim response. He looked around at them all, broke into a huge grin, and they went back to their food, relieved. "You should've seen his face when I took out my wand."

            "Yeah. Well, I'm done. I haven't seen Charisma yet…" James muttered, pushing back his chair and searching up and down the table.

            "I have to look over my transfiguration homework, I'm sure I'll have to do it over. I really wasn't concentrating when I did it yesterday…" Lily sighed as James got up and left. She put down her fork and stood up slowly.

            "Great, I'll copy yours." Isabella said casually.

            "Yeah, and then I'll copy _yours_." Sirius added to Isabella and she nodded with consent.

            "Good lord, didn't anyone hear me say 'I'll have to do it over'?" Lily said exasperatedly as she walked away from the table and out of the hall.

            "That's fine, Lily. We all make mistakes!"

            "Yeah, who cares? As long as you did it…" Isabella and Sirius called after her as they scrambled out of their chairs to follow her out. Just as Peter moved over and sat in Isabella's previous seat, both Remus and Angela stood up to leave, Remus walking off at his normal speed a few feet in front of Angela, glancing back at her from the corner of his eye. She grit her teeth in embarrassment at the idea that he probably thought she was following him, quickened her pace and brushed past him unmistakably at the door, turning at the closest corner, no matter where it led.

-:- -:- -:-

            "Ugh. I have to pee…" Angela whispered, pointing her wand distractedly at the quill they were supposed to be transfiguring into an umbrella and shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Really bad…" Professor McGonagall was in a particularly bad mood today. After the sixth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws filed into class, she had returned Sirius' wand and scolded him aloud once more regarding the reason it was taken away in the first place, the class broke out into laughter, cheers, and enthusiastic chatter. Fuming, she lectured them for at least ten minutes on the dangers of incomplete human transfiguration, the consequences of such rule breaking, and inter-house relations, or rather, civility. Now she had bid them each take out a quill and transfigure it into a water-repelling umbrella within twenty minutes, at the end of which she would inspect and grade their work as a test.

            "Hmm…I wonder why?" Isabella said in mock thoughtfulness, "Surely it couldn't have been the three goblets of pumpkin juice you swallowed at breakfast!" 

            "Perhaps…" Angela answered, a strand of her hair curled tightly around her forefinger nervously at the thought. 

            "Yes, I've always thought that it's good to test your bladder like that." Lily said matter-of-factly after kicking Amir's chair in front of her for replacing her wand with a version made of licorice when she wasn't looking.  She found her wand under the table, put a freezing charm on the replacement, and shoved it down the back of his robes.

"I agree." Angela answered, the tip of her finger turning blue as she twisted it tighter in her hair.

"But it looked like you and Remus were just having a staring and drinking contest. In that case, I'd say you won at drinking… I'm not sure about the staring though." She continued, looking concerned when he jumped and twisted in his chair.

            "I don't know what you're talking about…" Angela denied, concentrating hard on her quill.

            "Staring contest? It looked more like a who-can-make-the-other-more-nervous contest. But no matter. The question is, why would you two engage in such an activity?" Isabella inquired, smirking at Lily over Angela. They were completely ignoring her now as they tried to pry the truth out. She ignored them and gasped in surprise and relief when a black, blue trimmed umbrella appeared on her desk. She quickly shot some water onto it to see if it was repelled and grinned happily when it bounced off the umbrella, spraying both Lily and Isabella. They squealed and she smiled, she always _did_ work wonderfully under pressure. She raised her wand.

            "Yes, Miss Heathers?" Professor McGonagall called, fixing her with a beady gaze. Students looked around at her in surprise, she rarely raised her wand.

            "May I please use the restroom?" she asked clearly and politely.

            "Have you finished your assignment?" the professor asked skeptically, peering at her over thick-framed glasses that rested at the tip of her nose.

            "Yes, professor."

            "Show me." Angela opened the umbrella and held it out over her. Professor McGonagall pointed her wand above it and heavy drops of water pattered an inch off the dome-like surface and bounced off to spray the pupils surrounding her. After performing a drying charm, she gave Angela a thin-lipped smile and gestured for her to go. She left for the bathroom across the hall with a smug smirk, noticing that only James sat idle, twirling his wand thoughtfully and pointing it at his umbrella here and there, decorating it with glittery streaks and spots.

            Five minutes later she crossed behind a row of students, a few frantically glancing at the hourglass that signaled three minutes left and others waiting for the time to be up. Almost stumbling over a bag, she cursed and walked quickly back to her chair, looking back to see who it belonged to. Charisma. She turned back to see if her friends were done but then did a double take. Her eyes widened as she stared at the bag.

            "What?" Isabella asked with concern as Angela grinned slowly and then bit her lip. She followed her gaze and stared for a moment before gasping and nudging Lily. Lily looked over at where Charisma's bag was sitting at her feet. All around were small brown tufts of hair. It looked like a scene from a Muggle barbershop, she thought, except no one had cut her hair. Just then, Charisma ran a hand through her dark brown locks tiredly and small, choppily cut curls cascaded down to the floor.

            "The potion…" Lily muttered, unable to take her eyes off the mess on the floor. She turned to look at Charisma's face. She looked calm as she passed a note to James who was sitting a few seats over. "She doesn't know."

            "Do you want to be the one to tell her?" Isabella asked her excitedly.

            "Are you kidding? She would accuse me if _I_ was the one to tell her." Lily answered, surprised that she would propose such a thing. Angela shook her head, a pale eyebrow raised as her black eyes bore into Lily's imploringly.

            "Not if you do it _right_." She said mischievously. Lily looked confused.

            "Merlin, being a Prefect has really gotten to you hasn't it? I can barely remember the days when you actually had a brain for this kind of thing." Isabella muttered, rolling her eyes. She probably would have thrown her hands up in the air in frustration but since they were in class, she refrained. "It's very simple, Lily. Just tap Charisma or something, look really sad for her and whisper so too many people don't hear it. You _can't_ get into trouble, you have a clean record and no reason to do it. She's not Snape or anything, nobody knows you hate her. Hurry and make up your mind, because if you don't tell her, I'd love to." Isabella finished. A small bell tinkered from McGonagall's desk and she stood up along with a levitated notepad and a quill hovering above it. Silently she made her way up and down the rows, testing their work.

            "Okay. I'll tell…but not now, she hasn't shed enough." Lily whispered under her breath before Isabella's work was examined.

-:- -:- -:- 

            "Angela!" a cool voice called from behind them. She continued walking but Isabella turned her head to see who it was.

            "It's that git, Malfoy. Lets run for it before he tries to get us back for Snape… I haven't seen him around for a while." Isabella whispered after recognizing the pale, blond wizard with gray eyes. Angela shook her head urgently and turned around.

            "Lucius!" she exclaimed with a composed smile identical to his. She waited while he strode towards them and then kissed him twice on each cheek alternately, trying to stop Isabella from gaping at them all the while by winking at her several times. She got the message, closed her mouth, and raised an eyebrow with slight curiosity in her best Angela impression. He ignored her.

            "We haven't seen each other in ages… since Christmas to be exact! I wonder, is it our schedules?" he asked in a surprisingly amiable way.

            "Schedules? Oh Lucius, I haven't forgotten that vow we made, and I'm sure you haven't either. We decided to avoid each other!" she added for Isabella's benefit while Lucius' smile faded somewhat, "But forget that, how are you doing?"

            "Splendid, darling, though I'm not happy that there are only two months left until I graduate and leave Hogwarts. I'll miss the times I had as a young Slytherin, and it's such a misfortune you could not join us in it. I hardly know you, Angela, and I want to play brother! Now, I have news, there will be celebration this summer."

            "Really? But it isn't time yet. Danette has three years…"Angela answered, her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

            "No, no. You're right, its not time but we shall have a wedding nonetheless and the celebration is mine! Narcissa and I are engaged." At this Angela laughed with feigned delight and took both of his hands in hers.

            "But Lucius, _you_ have no limits! Why so early?"

            "And why not? We both graduate in June and I'll have a job at the Ministry secured. We've decided the sooner, the better. I don't think you know Narcissa, do you?"

            "No, I've never had the pleasure." Angela lied with a sidelong glance at Isabella, wondering if Lucius had completely forgotten the brief period when Sirius and Narcissa had dated the year before or if he was just having them on.

            "Then you must be acquainted. Why don't you join us at dinner tonight? You will be missed amongst your friends, but surely that would not hinder your presence." It was creepy, Isabella thought as she watched the two profiles that faced each other across from her holding hands, how they both raised an eyebrow and smirked identically at the exact same time.

            "Of course they wouldn't, would you Isabella?" she replied. Lucius turned to Isabella for the first time and scrutinized her with cold eyes and an unpleasant smile plastered on his no longer amiable face. She put on her coldest smirk, raised her eyebrows and resumed her exaggeratedly snotty Angela impression, one that she taunted her with on an almost daily basis.

            "Angela, darling, why ever would we hold you back from such an opportunity? It is important that you meet Narcissa as you will be very close in the future, it matters not what we have to say." Lucius stared at her, unfazed.

            "There, Lucius! I shall join you and you must save me a seat. Across from Narcissa, please, I like to face someone when I talk to them." She glanced at her watch, "Oh, we have to go, class starts in only ten minutes."

            "Yes, You have Divination now, Severus and Craig mentioned that sixth year Slytherins and Gryffindors have it together – a most unfortunate combination. I'll see you at dinner then." They smiled at each other and parted in opposite directions. 

            "Angie, what the hell was that?" Isabella exhaled as soon as he was out of sight, "I can_not_ believe you just agreed to sit with _him_ at dinner!"

-:- -:- -:-

            "And she just _left_?" Peter asked. Remus nodded bleakly as he leaned back in his chair, his head supported by his elbow that stood on an armrest, jaw propped up on his fist.

            "Blimey, I never thought Angela would do that to you." Sirius said after this second repetition of the story.

            "Me neither…" James muttered, "Why didn't you just tell her you like her? It was the perfect opportunity."

            "I don't know… she wouldn't let me…"

            "You're such a wuss, Remus. You've wanted to ask her out for like a year now and you screwed it up just like that." Sirius added, snapping his fingers for emphasis.

            "Yeah, she wouldn't have scratched your arm off if you'd told her." Peter added.

            "And she would've explained whatever she said about having two years."

            "And you could've been off snogging right now. Really, I think that was one of the stupidest-"

            "Well I _didn't_ tell her so just shut up about it, will you?" Remus interrupted Peter irritably. "Just help me figure out what to do now."

            "Uh, you talk to her about it, duh."

            "Yeah, tell her you like her."

            "And that you forgive the whole arm thing."

            "She's not going to listen to me now that she's spent a whole day thinking over how I said I _didn't_ like her." Remus pointed out sadly.

            "Then take her on guilt trip. She practically tore your arm off, didn't she?" Sirius suggested, scowling.

            "Yeah, and tell her you'll forgive her if she tells you what that other path you saw leads to." James added excitedly.

            "And _then_ you can tell her that you like her." Peter put in.

            "Uhuh, and then she'll have to explain herself."

            "Or you can guilt her with the arm again and make her tell you what she was talking about."

            "You can still see the scratches, right?…Good."

            "Show it to her."

            "Tell her it hurts a lot."

            "Say that you'll have scars forever!"

            "Remember to ask where the other passage goes."

            "Figure out if there's a way to get out of wherever you were besides kicking the bench."

            "Who cares how you get out, pay attention to how you get _in_!"

            "Yeah, I can't believe you forgot."

            "You couldn't have forgotten, you're just not telling us."

            "Yeah! C'mon tell us how you get in!"

            "We can add it to the-"

            "You guys suck when it comes to advice, you know! Maybe I should ask Lily or Isabella if she's said anything to them. What am I talking about, of course she has, and they're probably on _her _side too. I guess I'll just talk to her at dinner…" Remus said, interrupting their flow of ideas and distracting them from thoughts of the secret passageway.

            "At dinner?" James uttered dubiously, "With us around?"

            "A perfectly romantic setting… Lily can play the harp, you two'll sing, Izzy can shower them with petals and I'll hold her down with the full-body-bind…" Sirius commented dryly.

            "Well… I figure with you guys around she can't run away with my arm…" Remus explained, ignoring Sirius while the others laughed.

            "Oh yes she can – we don't know what Angela Heathers is capable of. Anyway, its not a good idea to have _us_ around." James said, waving his hand as though dismissing the thought.

            "Why don't you tell her to meet you at that place again so you can talk there. You could pass her a note or something." Peter said suddenly. 

            "Yeah! Yeah… that's a good idea… I think that's what I'll do. Thanks Pete!" Remus said thoughtfully and Peter beamed.

            "Yeah and James can ask Charisma what she had to do with it all. I wonder if she helped her plan the whole thing…" Sirius added rather spitefully.

            "Plan what?" Charisma asked, throwing him a defensive glare after looming out of the shadows, something they discovered she did very often. She leaned against the back of James' chair while they stared at each other, unsure of what to say since they didn't know how much she'd heard.

            "Well…" Sirius started hesitantly, looking around at his friends for support. Remus was staring at Charisma, sizing her up. Peter had already begun his nervous, incoherent stuttering, rapidly turning red and James fixed him with a look of the same shock and apprehension he felt. "Well… um… oh, look! Its time for my detention. See you all at dinner!" he said much more brightly than he normally would have, leaping out of his chair and walking quickly towards the portrait hole. He slowed down when he got to it since there were fifteen minutes before he was due at Filch the Caretaker's office and turned to see that James had promptly grabbed Charisma in a messy and uncomfortable-looking kiss, Peter had already fled, and Remus summoned parchment and a quill to write his note with. Sirius turned back towards the portrait hole and noticed small clumps of brown hair stuck on the frame and under his shoe. His eyes followed the trail back to where they had been sitting and when another unmistakable tuft cascaded down to the floor, realization dawned on him.

            "Oh shit…" he whispered, staring wide-eyed at a tiny spot on the back of Charisma's head that would soon be completely bald. His eyes scanned the rest of her once-thick mane, taking in all the strands that were considerably shorter than normal and others that looked as though they had a bit chopped off by a very unskilled barber. He noticed Remus looking at him curiously, grinned at him hastily, and walked out of the common room wondering if Lily knew what that potion had done.

-:- -:- -:-

            "Oh good, you're here. Narcissa, this is my cousin Angela. Angela, this is my fiancée." Lucius introduced as Angela sat down across from Narcissa. She gave her a small smile that was returned with a surprised look from the pretty witch with wavy blond hair. Lucius sat down next to his girlfriend and proceeded to introduce a few of his friends that were sitting nearest. Angela smirked coldly in turn at Severus Snape and Craig Pierce, the only two she recognized from her year, Hunter Warren and his twin sister, Sadis.

            "It's great to finally meet you. I've heard so much." She said to Narcissa, spooning potatoes onto her plate and digging in daintily, trying to look comfortable. The shock at seeing her slowly wore off Lucius' friends and they too started eating, throwing suspicious glances at her between bites.

            "Did he?" Narcissa answered, beaming at Lucius, "I hope nothing bad. It's funny, I haven't heard a thing about _you_ from Lucius. I didn't even know he had a cousin here until tonight!" she exclaimed, giving him a pointed look. He chuckled and his friends all looked up interestedly.

            "Angela and I had made deal…" he started to explain.

            "Actually more like a vow, or an oath… or an agreement." Angela interrupted casually.

            "Yes. Well, Angela and I agreed that it's best that we avoid each other during the school year since our crowds don't exactly…"

            "Mingle." She prompted, glancing coolly at Severus Snape (sitting at Narcissa's right) and Narcissa's friend, the Warren Sister, sitting next to him, both of whom glared at her whenever she dared open her mouth. Lucius gave her a strained smile that showed clearly his agitation at her interruptions. "You know… Gryffindors and Slytherins…" She smiled back and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

            "Yes. They don't… 'mingle'. We had this conversation on Christmas at the Park, no? We learned we were cousins then. _You_ know, Severus, that the renovations at Malfoy Manor were completed last November and that we moved south when it was. We were invited to a Christmas Party at Heather's Park and I just assumed that they were some neighbors, until I bumped into Angela here. We were, of course, shocked and horrified but then our parents explained that we're related. First cousins on my father's side-"

            "And on my mother's. We'd never met before because the Malfoys lived in their townhouse in Scotland. I remember my mother mentioning her brother but our families are so large, and I've never had much interest in such affairs, especially about relations I imagined I'd never meet." Angela cut in, ignoring the look of impatient annoyance Lucius was giving her. She stole a quick look at her watch as she raised her fork to her mouth. Five minutes. She had only been here for five minutes. She smiled when Lucius' friends all laughed at something he said and glanced longingly at her friends, facing each other and laughing two tables away.

            "Isn't that right, Angela?" Lucius smirked, watching her start out of her thoughts. She blinked for a second and then answered coolly, wondering what he was talking about.

            "Of course."

-:- -:- -:-

            Isabella dragged her feet through the Great Hall towards the middle of her long house table to where her friends sat. She threw her self down on a chair and, using the silverware that jumped into her hand at sensing her temper, attacked the steak that was placed generously on her plate by Lily. After four huge bites and a long drink of apple cider, she sat up straight and stared at everyone tiredly, allowing Lily to pat her back.

            "It's okay honey. You've worked hard and I'm proud." Lily said, beaming at her. She shot her a murderous look and found enough satisfaction when her smile withered away to smirk. The boys gave her amused looks.

            "Worked hard?"

            "Where have you been?"

            "Where's Angela?" they asked simultaneously.

            "I _have_ been working hard. In the past four hours, I have completed two weeks of late assignments that I'm going to hand in on Monday." She said with a superior smile and then looked at Remus, "And how the bloody hell am I supposed to know where Angela is?" she said, not unkindly.

            "You're sure?"

            "Of what?"

            "That you don't know."

            "That I don't know what? Oh, where Angela is? No, I don't know." She said, looking at him curiously. "Why? Oh yeah, I remember now. She's with Malfoy." She finished, chewing casually. 

            "What! _Lucius_ Malfoy?" Lily asked while Remus spit out his Pumpkin juice, Peter squealed and two forks clattered as they were dropped in shock.

            "Yeah. He asked her to have dinner with him tonight." Isabella answered, wiping Remus' spit off of her plate.

            "Wow Remus, you REALLY messed up this time!" Sirius exclaimed while James looked at her in horror. Isabella crinkled her brow.

            "I don't see how. They're cousins, Angie and Malfoy. Now that they're engaged, he wants her to meet Narcissa." She informed them.

            "Angela and Malfoy are engaged?" Remus and James said at once.

            "No, you idiots." Isabella snapped, "Malfoy and _Narcissa_ are engaged. Malfoy and Angela are cousins. Malfoy, Narcissa – _engaged. _Malfoy, Angela – _cousins_. Malfoy, Narcissa – _engaged_. Malfoy, Angela – "

            "She already knows Narcissa." Lily interrupted, looking confused, "And since when are they cousins?"

            "Christmas. Well, before that too but she said they found out they were cousins at some party. And I don't know what he's playing at, its kind of hard to believe that he didn't know about Sirius and Narcissa." Isabella answered.

            "Actually, not really. We didn't go out for long and I don't even know if her friends knew about us." Sirius answered thoughtfully.

            "So they're related?" James asked. "Angela is _related_ to that nasty Slytherin rat?"

            "Yeah, first cousins. I thought she would've told you guys, or at least Lily. We saw him right before Divination…"

            "We haven't seen her since." Lily answered.

            "Yeah. I assumed she was with you." Remus added.

            "_First_ cousins? So Angela is a _Malfoy_?" James asked with a look of disgusted disbelief.

            "_Yes_, James." She answered exasperatedly, clucking her tongue at his expression, "Oh c'mon, don't get all huffy! It's not her fault she's related to an evil bastard."

            "Hmm… evil bastard?" Lily asked.

            "Isn't it obvious?" Sirius answered, looking at her dubiously, "He's probably got all the curses in the Restricted Section memorized."

            "You think so? I know he's nasty but is he really… you know… with You-Know-Who?" she asked, biting her lip.

            "Lily, that whole family's in his inner circle." James replied uneasily, glancing towards where Angela was laughing along with half the Slytherin table.

            "Yeah. My dad said they pay loads of money to the Ministry and so everyone's too scared to get them into Azkaban." Peter said suddenly.

            "It's no wonder she scratched off your arm, it's in her blood…" Sirius muttered while Peter nodded vigorously.

            "Shut up!" Remus hissed, glaring at him. Lily looked at him curiously and Isabella arched an eyebrow.

            "Your arm?" Lily asked.

            "Still seems to be there…" Isabella said, poking his wrist. "What about it?"

            "Nothing. Listen, could you guys give this to Angela when you see her?" he answered, digging a hand into his pocket and looking for something.

            "Sure, what is it?" Lily asked while he commenced rummaging through his bag.

            "A note." He answered shortly, handing her a crumpled up piece of parchment. Lily looked at the tiny ball curiously before handing it to Isabella.

            "_You_ give it to her. I have to do work when we get back upstairs and I'll forget. Or else I might end up giving her my Potions essay instead."

            "Potions essay? Honey, I doubt anyone can mistaken your standard four-foot long essays for _this_." She answered. Remus pushed back his chair and stood up.

            "Whatever, just make sure you get it to her. _Tonight_." He clarified, slinging his bag over onto his shoulder and walking out with a last meaningful glance towards the boys.

            "You wouldn't know what this is, would you?" Isabella asked them. They shook their heads.

            "No idea." Sirius answered. Isabella stared at him for a moment, not sure if he was telling the truth.

            "Lily, suddenly I have the uncontrollable urge to open this. Maybe even read it out loud…" she said slowly, holding up the parchment-ball.

            "Yes Izzy, you should. Do it now." Lily urged her on, catching onto her intentions. James put down his fork.

            "Don't." he said, frowning at them disappointedly.

            "So you do know what this is, huh?" Lily beamed in triumph.

            "Well… not exactly…" James trailed off.

            "But you'll find out some time." Sirius added cheerfully. He sighed at the glares that he got, "Just give it to Angela and don't open it, ok?"

            "Or what?"

            "Izzy!" James rolled his eyes.

            "Just give it to her, will you?" Sirius said, banging his fist down on the table so hard that peas and bits of potatoes went flying.

            "Oww!" Lily cried, clutching her left eye while instant tears ran down her cheeks, the result of a stray pea. "My eye!" 

            Isabella kicked Sirius under the table and conjured tissues for Lily. "Good Lord! Alright, alright, I'll give it to her…"

-:- -:- -:- 

            Lily covered her mouth and tried to suppress a yawn. She was tired and planned to get to bed as soon as she finished her Potions assignment. She'd read the same paragraph at least four times already and still hadn't registered a word of it. Her friends were no help at all. Angela sat next to her on a chair, curled up and her feet under her, with an advanced Divination book that she'd borrowed from the library opened on her lap, reading it intently. She noticed that this year Angela was showing a ridiculously intense interest in that worthless branch of magic, and it concerned her because her friend seemed to concentrate lately on only her favorite subject. She never tried to do well in her other classes either, Lily thought condescendingly. 

She looked over at Isabella, leaning back in her chair, reading through the teen's section of the latest _Witch Weekly_, a highly successful magazine that was started last year by a group of middle aged witches who clearly had too much time on their hands. There was a sheet of parchment and quill squashed next to her and Lily frowned at its blankness. Isabella was another case, she thought, she rarely did her homework unless it was for Potions and only really tried to work once she was on the verge of failing. She was a clever, smart, powerful witch and could very well have been a prefect – if she had _any_ ambition. She watched as Sirius, squeezed into what seemed to be the smallest pouf he could've found in the common room next to Isabella's chair and looking very out of place with his legs outstretched in front of him, caught a tiny fur ball that had flown through the open window, hurtling straight at the ground near their feet. He untied a letter from the leg of an owl the size of a tennis ball. The eager owl settled onto his lap and hooted up at him, flapping its wings as it tried to communicate something important. Sirius looked at it curiously for a moment, opened the letter and glanced at it for just a second before he folded it up again.

            "Oh, it's for you." He said, handing it to Isabella. She took it wordlessly and held onto it for a minute while she finished the paragraph she was reading. Then, setting down the magazine carelessly towards her forgotten homework, she unfolded the parchment and frowned at the cramped handwriting. Sirius picked up the now-silent owl and Lily watched as he pulled out his wand and ran the tip of it gently over its feathers, that familiar glint in his eye as he watched the owl slowly turn into a shining, golden, spotted with blood-red streaks. The owl hooted at him happily and he grinned, stroking his handiwork. The shredding of parchment sounded and Lily saw Isabella throw the remains of the letter she'd received into the fire. She turned to Sirius and raised an eyebrow at the owl.

            "Beautiful, dear." She commented in the tone of a mother praising her five year-old's hideous self-portrait.

            "I know. You're brother's going to hate me. Actually, he'll think it was you." He answered gleefully.

            "Nah, you get to keep that now. I don't plan to send it back." She said spitefully, then picked up her magazine, flipped it to a page towards the end of the issue and handed it to Sirius. "I think I'll get a new broom soon, which do you think I should get?"

            "_Witch Weekly_ has broomstick advertisements?" he asked in amazement.

            "Yes, darling. We women ride brooms as well, you know." She answered sardonically. Lily rolled her eyes and turned back to Angela, knowing too well the completely pointless argument that would follow with those two. Angela was still reading her book but now her eyes were closed and she was muttering something under her breath, her left hand outstretched, palm down. Lily stared at her, and was just about to ask what on earth she was doing when her eyes flew open and her hand pulled back to turn the page. She looked around for Remus and when she remembered how he'd left at dinner over two hours ago, her gaze fell on James. He and Charisma were sitting squashed in the same armchair, immersed in what looked like the most disgusting kiss ever. 

            "Keep staring at them, Lily, just a little longer and she can confirm that you're madly in love with James and hate her guts." Angela broke in, her eyebrows raised as she looked up at her from reading her book. Lily squirmed and shot them a disgusted look, noticing that Isabella was smirking at her unpleasantly out of the corner of her eye.

            "Maybe its true." She muttered, loud enough for her to hear.

            "Yeah, she can't seem to take her lovesick eyes off of him." Sirius added with an innocent smile.

            "Oh shut up. Ugh, that's disgusting. Look, they're slobbering now!" Lily said, looking away from them.

            "Did you see what you did to her hair?" Sirius asked her now.

            "Yeah. Wonderful, isn't it? I think I'll tell her about it in a minute." She answered excitedly. They watched them for a second and saw James pull away, finally withdrawing his hand from her hair, a bunch of which came off with it. He stared at his closed fist and the dark brown locks protruding from it in revulsion and looked up to see Charisma staring at it as well, looking confused and horrified.

            "Too late…" Sirius murmured, giving Charisma a sympathetic look. Lily bit her lip and looked around at Isabella and Angela for support, both of whom were shocked.

            "You're so screwed." Isabella supplied helpfully.

            "Deny it." Angela muttered quickly as Charisma stomped towards her angrily, James following behind, staring at the back of her head. He glanced at Sirius who looked up at her as she passed and pretended to look shocked, his eyes wide. Isabella went back to her magazine, Angela to her book, and Lily looked up from her Potions text to fix Charisma with a mildly curious expression.

            "Yes?" she asked when Charisma stopped to stand in front of her, glowering with her hands on her hips. James followed and looked at her worriedly.

            "You should go to the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey could probably make it grow back. Lets go." He suggested, reaching for her hand. She pulled away and spoke, not taking her eyes off of Lily.

            "What is your problem? Are you that pathetic?" she asked evasively.

            "What are you talking about?" Lily asked curiously, closing her book with a snap.

            "The potion." She answered, pushing James hand away impatiently, "You put it in my hair."

            "What potion?" she continued, deciding that it was best to take Angela's advice.

            "The one I left for you yesterday."

            "What about it?"

            "Charisma… lets go to the Hospital Wing… C'mon…" James urged, his eyes darting from Lily to Charisma in confusion.

            "You put that potion in my hair."

            "No. Actually, I put it on your pillow." Lily answered, smiling thoughtfully. She was aware of the stunned look Angela gave her and the way Isabella was shaking her head disapprovingly. "Go on and rat on me."

            "What? Lily, _you_ did that to her?" James asked, astonished. He looked from one to the other suspiciously, "What's going on?"

            "Yeah, it was Lily. She gave me a potion and this is what it did to my hair!" Charisma said indignantly.

            "Oh really? I seem to remember it a little differently, Charisma." Lily retorted, turning to James and fixing him with a sincere look, "Before the ball, Charisma gave me some hair gel potion and Angela saw her add something to it so I put it on her pillow. _She_ gave me the potion."

            "Why?" James asked, looking at them as though they'd sprouted horns. Charisma opened her mouth to answer.

            "She told-"

            "Charisma thinks I'm jealous of her." Lily blurted out, interrupting Charisma's response.

            "She is!"

            "She thinks I like you and that I'm trying to sabotage your relationship."

            "She told me! She told me she likes you! She said she… Ugh! Did everybody see my hair like this?" Charisma cried suddenly, placing a hand gingerly on her head. She turned on her heel and made her way towards the portrait hole where she stopped to glare at Lily, "You know this is war, don't you?" she hissed though gritted teeth before walking out and slamming the portrait behind her.

            "Damned wuss." Lily muttered, staring after her. "Fine! Go after your stupid girlfriend, you great big prat! You're such a moron!" she called as James followed Charisma out after giving her a long, calculating look. She sank deeper into her chair stared at her friends, clenching and unclenching her fists, her nostrils flared as she took deep breaths angrily. Sirius exchanged an amused look with Angela at her outburst and half the common room was staring at them curiously. Isabella looked at her accusingly and was just about to open her mouth when Lily turned on her.

            "And you! Don't even start! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even be in this mess. 'Hex her, Lily! Show her who's boss!'" she imitated in a shrill voice before getting up and stomping towards the girl's dormitory, leaving them staring after her. A cool draft blew in through the open window into the stunned silent common room and knocked Isabella's bag off the edge of a nearby table onto the floor, the sudden noise an invitation for talk once more. Isabella sighed and Angela joined her on the floor, gathering quills and parchment while Sirius righted her bag and cleaned up the spilled ink with flicks of his wand.

            "Well, I _know_ I don't sound like that…" Isabella muttered, referring to Lily's mimic. "I suppose we should go talk to her…" She picked up a crumpled piece of parchment and just about to throw it in the wastebasket when she remembered. "Oh! Angie, I'm so sorry I forgot. This is from Remus." She said apologetically, handing it to Angela.

            "What? You didn't give it to her yet?" Sirius asked, aghast. They watched Angela open the note and frown at them as she read it.

            "When did he give this to you?"

            "Dinner." Isabella crinkled he brow, "Why?"

            "Dinner? That was… that was three hours ago…" she muttered distractedly, getting up and walking quickly towards the portrait hole without another word.

            "Wait! Where are you going? I don't want to talk to her alone…" Isabella called after her. She waved a hand at them impatiently, closed the frame behind her and re-read the note, this time unable to bite back a smile at the hasty scrawl.

            _Angie, _

Meet me at the other side of the astronomy tower, or whatever you call that place we were in yesterday. We need to talk, and I have take back a couple of things I said…try to hurry, I'm not sure if I remember how to open the mirror…

_                                                Remus_


	11. Mysterious Arrivals

Chapter – 11

Mysterious Arrivals

"What is wrong with her?" James yelled irritably after slamming the door behind him. He kicked a stray shoe and sent it flying, right at Sirius' head.

            "Hey!" he said indignantly, ducking it and watching as it hit the wall behind him. He picked it up and stuffed it under his bed. "Oh thanks, I was looking for that," he added airily until he saw the agitated look James was giving him. They looked up momentarily as Peter walked in and placed himself on the edge of his bed, eyeing James worriedly.

            "What happened? Elena Robinson was saying something about Lily… did I miss something?" he asked in his paranoid way. Sirius rolled his eyes.

            "Catfight. Lily and Charisma," he grinned. Peter's eyes widened.

            "No way! I missed a fight? A girl-girl fight?" he asked, looking at James. "What happened? Who won? Lily--"

            "_Lily_ is crazy. I don't know what the hell is wrong with her! She's so… so… stupid… and…" James trailed off.

            "Amateur? Not very good at covering up her tracks?" Sirius provided, shaking his head disapprovingly.

            "_What _happened?" Peter said impatiently.

            "She's not amateur, she's just an idiot. You know what Charisma told me?"

            "What? Where is Charisma anyway?"

            "Will someone tell me what happened!" Peter wailed.

            "Hospital Wing. Pomfrey wouldn't let me stay. Anyway, she told me Lily told her that she likes me."

            "_Lily_ likes _you_?"

            "When?? When did this happen? What happened?" Peter whined in vain.

            "Yeah, I know, I didn't believe her either but then she told me everything Lily told her."

            "Which was…?"

            "A whole load of lies. She lied about us being more than friends, about how supposedly we went out for a while before Charisma got here and she told me that Lily threatened her before she gave her the potion."

            "What potion? What are you guys talking about!!! What happened??" Peter said before Sirius could comment. They stared at him. "Fine! If you guys don't tell me I'll just ask someone in the common room!" he yelled before stomping out and slamming the door behind him.

            "What's _his_ problem?" James asked, looking at the door with an amused expression. Sirius shrugged.

            "Dunno. So what are you going to do about it?" he asked.

            "I don't know…? I think I need to talk to Lily about it… I mean, even though she likes me and all, she still shouldn't go around poisoning people just to get my attention," James said arrogantly.

            "She doesn't like you, man," Sirius said suddenly.

            "Huh?" was James's startled reply.

            "You don't need to talk to Lily, you have to talk to Charisma," he sighed at the dumbfounded look his friend shot him, "C'mon, you don't really believe her!"

            "Why wouldn't I believe her?"

            "Because you've known her for like two weeks _tops_ and you've been friends with Lily for like four years…" He started exasperatedly, "Look, this is _Lily_ we're talking about. You know she doesn't do stuff like this, she _wouldn't_ do this."

            "Oh yeah? Then tell me why she put that potion in Charisma's hair. Explain _that_ to me." James challenged, crossing his arms with a smug look. 

            "Exactly what she said. Charisma gave her the potion. Lily found out that she hexed it. Lily decided to get her back. Simple."

            "Well why didn't Lily just go tell a teacher that she thinks it was hexed? Or me, or you?"

            "Would _you_ have gone to a teacher?"

            "No, but Lily's a… a…. _perfect _prefect—"

            "You're so bloody stubborn," Sirius cut him off with.

            "I'm not being a stubborn git."

            "I didn't even _call _you a git, I said stubborn…"

            "Whatever! I'm not being stubborn, then."

            "Yes you are, if you weren't you'd see that this is all Charisma. Why would she give Lily that potion anyway? And where the hell is Remus?" he added, waving his hand towards Remus' empty bed.

            "I don't know. But if he was here, I'm sure he'd take _my_ side." James said bitterly, stuffing his head into his pajama top. Sirius snorted.

            "Really, do you honestly think that _Lily_ likes you?"

            "Why wouldn't she like _me_!" he answered, looking mildly injured.

            "She just wouldn't. She doesn't act like it."

            "Well… yeah… but she could like me…"

            "Nah, I don't think so…"

            "What's that supposed to mean? Okay, she probably just made up all that stuff to annoy Charisma but she could like me. Anyone would like me!" James declared indignantly.

            "Nah, I don't think so…" Sirius repeated, smiling at how annoyed he was getting.

            "What's that supposed to mean! You like her, don't you?" he said, throwing his robes into the laundry basket and staring at Sirius with a look of dawning realization that wiped the smile off his friend's face.

            "_No_! No, I don't like Lily! I like Isabella!" Sirius started huffily, "And that's all!" he added, pulling on his own sleepwear. "Okay??"

            "Okay, okay…. You know she hasn't noticed right?" James asked in a pitying tone, "Hasn't noticed at all…"

            "She has too noticed."

            "Nope, didn't you see her at the ball?"

            "I don't want to talk about this." Sirius stated gruffly, climbing into his bed, "The point is, Lily doesn't like you, Charisma's making it all up and the sooner you dump her the better. What do you say?"

            "_I_ don't want to talk about _this_." James repeated peevishly, lying down on his own four-poster and pulling the duvet cover over his head.

            "Fine."

            "Fine!"

            "Fine."

            "_Fine_!"

            "You know I'm right."

            "Sod off."

            "See? You just won't admit it."

            "Yeah well… _you_ won't admit that your *tactics* _soooo_ don't work…"

            "Screw you."

            "Go- go… to- to… heeell," James responded between a loud yawn.

            "You," Sirius belched loudly, "…first." They lay still for a moment and then both broke into sudden laughter. 

            "Quidditch practice first thing in the morning." James reminded Sirius, turning on his stomach.

            "Yeah I know. G'night."

            "'Night."

-:- -:- -:- 

            "Remus?" Angela called nervously as soon as she stepped out of the trapdoor. The rooftop looked empty so far and she walked towards one of the benches. "Remus…? Ugh, great. He left," she added to herself.  She turned and was just about to slump miserably onto the bench when she noticed him lying straight across it on his back, sound asleep. One arm was bent behind his head and the other hung off the bench. She smiled at the thought that if she hadn't turned she would've sat on his face and picked up the arm that was hung over the edge gently. She stared at him for a moment. How could you not wake up when someone actually _picks_ _up_ one of your limbs? She shook her head and remembered how heavily her father slept.

As though for effect, she bent his arm at the elbow and placed the palm on his chest. Still no response. She picked it up again and this time placed it on his stomach. She glanced at his face to make sure he was still asleep and then, giggling with uncharacteristic nervousness, she lightly felt his stomach until she found his navel and poked his index finger into it. That done, she stepped back and took a good look at her work, smiling and biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud.

            "Are you done yet?" he asked suddenly, shocking her completely as she watched the hand move itself up to rub his tired eyes. He gave her an amused, yet annoyed look and she started to laugh hysterically, eventually tripping over his shoes, which were at the foot of the bench, and falling on her face where she tried to sit up, failed, and took to gasping for breath. Remus stared at her, taken aback and he shot up when she fell to the floor. He grinned and, thinking that this would make him look like an idiot if it didn't work, kneeled next to her and commenced tickling her sides and her stomach mercilessly.

            "Stop!… no… please, Remus… stop it…" she gasped between peels of laughter, clutching her stomach and rolling around in every direction, trying to get his hands off her. He stopped and waited with a smug smile on his face while she caught her breath. She stood up for a moment and gave him a very serious look that distracted him long enough for her to lunge at him, knocking him over onto his back. She pinned him down by straddling his knees and marveled at her own daring as she tried to get him back in vain.

            "I'm not ticklish," he explained after a minute of her poking his stomach, sides and even venturing up to his armpit. He smiled at her innocently and she laughed again, embarrassed.

            "Okay, now that I feel like a complete idiot…" she got off him and sat back against the bench, "You wanted to talk…?"

            He followed suit and sat next to her. "Uh… yeah. About yesterday…" He stopped when Angela started giggling, "What's so funny?"

            "Oh, I don't know…" she laughed harder, "I'm sorry about your arm…" she said when she'd regained her composure. She sighed and turned to look at his confused expression, "I went kind of hysterical, didn't I?"

            This time he laughed, and she smiled hesitantly. "Yeah, you really did. Anyway, I _do_ like you. A lot. And I-"

            "What? What did you just say?" Angela asked incredulously.

            "Huh? Uh… I like you?"

            "Yeah, that."

            "Um… well, I like you…"

            "Oh, no you don't… yesterday…you said…"

            "Yeah I know. I was a complete git yesterday, I'm so sorry," he apologized sheepishly.

            "Are you serious?" she asked, not quite able to believe what she was hearing. His face fell.

            "No Angie, I'm Remus. Honestly, I thought after all that happened you'd at least remember my name-"

            "Oh, shut up," she interrupted, regretting the hated pun that they all had a tendency to use inadvertently during important conversations. Then she grinned, letting what she'd just heard sink in as her heart raced in excitement.

            "So you like me, huh?" she asked, suddenly giddy.

            "Yes. Anyway, I would've told you yesterday and all but… you know…"

            "I went kind of hysterical," she finished with a startlingly happy smile, unable to look apologetic because of how elated she suddenly felt. "Go on…"

            "Um… that's kind of it…"

            "Oh. How… short."

            "Hey! It was just supposed to be a simple Declaration of …erm… Like…and you know, apologies…"

            "Yeah okay," she looked up at the dark sky, graced with an eyelash of moon and a handful of stars. "What time is it?"

            "Um…" he looked down at his wristwatch, "Wow…eleven fifteen… what took you so long?"

            "Well, besides the fact that I was witness to a bit of an…I dunno, argument? Izzy _just_ gave me the note…"

            "Eh, maybe I should've given it to just Lily or something… or James… or Sirius… or Peter even. Anyway, what did you mean, 'argument'?" he asked. Angela blew air out of her cheeks and gave him a resigned look.

            "Ugh… its one of those horribly stupid things that end up as disaster…"

            "What are you on about?"

            "It's a long story… You see, that new girl, Charisma, has it in for Lily… she thinks Lily likes James for some stupid-ass reason and so she's been insulting her and like _clinging_ to James-"

            "Yeah, we noticed… she was getting annoyed yesterday when we wouldn't let her in on our next prank…"

            "Yeah. And she always pops up when James is around us now. So anyway, last night she gave Lily what she claims was hair anti-frizz potion but we were suspicious so Lily didn't use it and instead, she put it on Charisma's pillow. Actually, we all did it together but we're blaming it on Lily. So anyway, today we found out what that potions does."

            "What?"

            "It was hair-loss potion." 

He laughed at the sudden image of a bald Charisma and Angela grinned despite the trouble it caused. 

"Yeah I know. She's been shedding by the chunk all day. Anyway, just now in the common room she and James realized that her hair was, you know, falling out and all. So she comes up to Lily and accuses her and Lily, completely ignoring my wise counsel, didn't deny it and now Charisma's in the Hospital Wing and James stormed off on Lily and then Lily yelled at Isabella and stormed off on us and here we are."

"Oh… so James is on Charisma's side?"

"Yeah. But I wouldn't worry, I'm sure they'll see how stupid this is and he'll dump her or something."

"Hmm." They sat in awkward silence for a minute, unsure of what to do next. Angela stared desperately around her for something to say and her eyes landed on the night sky, clear and picturesque.

"It's a nice night," she commented blandly, wanting to hit herself over the head with a frying pan for being unable to think of anything remotely interesting to say. She went on instead, "Doesn't the moon look nice?"

Remus started and looked up at the apparent subject of conversation. She didn't know about him, did she? No, he thought, surely she would've run by now. He studied its shape tonight. Not near to being full at all, and thereby harmless to him, he answered honestly, "It does tonight. I don't fancy going back to the common room right now, you?"

"Huh? Oh, um… No I… Izzy's trying to talk to Lily right now, and I don't want to be a part of that," she answered, a bit startled by his abrupt change of subject but then dismissing it when he spoke.

"Yeah… I think I'll be forced into that if I go down right now too…"

"So we stay here?"

"Yep." More awkward silence followed and Remus shifted so that his legs were outstretched in front of him.

"It's getting a little chilly," Angela said in response to the breeze that blew her hair into her face, hiding her grin. She was, of course, quoting from the typical scenario and was torn between hearing his answer and the shameful desire to hit herself with that frying pan once more. He chuckled.

"Here, take my cloak. Oh wait, I don't have one," he grinned and looked down at her, "Now what?"

"What do you mean? Work with what you've got, fool."

"What, you want me to take my robes off?" he asked, staring at her in disbelief when she shot him an expectant look, "No! Then _I'll_ be cold."

"So what? I'm a lady."

"And?"

"How un-gentlemanlike of you. You should be hexed," he rolled his eyes.

"I wonder where we'd be now if I'd pretended I was ticklish."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, kept you on top."

"Uh! I don't believe you!" she puffed in mock-indignation, slapping his arm.

"Oh no, the lady has been slighted!"

"That's not getting you any closer," she warned. He smiled wryly and, putting his arm around her shoulders, pulled her to him. She snuggled up to his side and positioned her head on the crook of his shoulder while he rubbed some heat into her arm.

"Better?" he asked, smiling at how ironically warm she was making him feel.

"Mmm… much… is this all we're doing?" she asked tiredly.

"Well, I'm sure we can think of _something_…" he answered with a suggestive smile when she looked up at him. 

"Could you be suggesting that we…?"

"What?" he prompted innocently. She gave him a sly smile before closing her eyes and tilting her face up, guiding her lips towards his. He tilted his head back amusedly until he felt the cold stone of the bench-seat on the back of his neck and felt her punch his arm lightly.

"Hey!" she cried, hitting his chest in annoyance. He threw his head forward again to see her looking at him through narrowed eyes, but with an unmistakable smile on her face. "You asshole," she added mildly.

"What? I didn't do anything…" he denied with a straight face.

"Exactly… Hmph! That was so Isabella-like."

"It was not."

            "Was too. I'm thoroughly annoyed now."

            "Don't be."

            "I'll go back to the common room," she threatened, making no effort to move.

            "No, don't go. You won't have any fun… and you'll leave me up here all alone and with no exit."

            "You just have to say 'I want out' to the floor and the door'll open," she waved impatiently at the trapdoor that appeared a few feet away from them and it disappeared, "But never mind that. Do something to make sure I don't kick that arse after I get some sleep." 

            "Now _why_ would you want to kick my arse?" he asked, lowering his face slightly to better inhale the scent of her hair.

            "Oh honestly. I thought you liked me… just _what_ are you doing?" she asked of his sniffing, tilting up her head to face him. He grinned widely, 

            "Your hair smells nice."

            "Er, thanks… I, um, wash it," she said awkwardly, not used to feeling his hot breath on her. She watched his disturbingly light brown eyes rove around her faced before locking with her own for a moment, and then closing as he pressed his lips against hers. Her heart flipped over and she felt the blood pounding in her ears as she wound her arms around his neck and tried to sit up into kneeling. Stumbling on the folds of her robes, she felt his hand grasp her waist and his fingers dig into her hip to keep her from collapsing. He slowly eased her back to sitting, her legs tucked under her, and his stomach twisted into complicated knots when he slipped his tongue in and she pulled his head down closer. She clutched at his hair almost desperately, and they refused to let go.

            They pulled apart when breathing proved necessary and she sat back facing him. His flushed expression broke into a lopsided grin and she smiled distractedly, staring transfixed at his eyes. They were a light, golden brown – almost amber – and she was surprised she'd never noticed the color before, as she couldn't recall seeing anything like it. 

            "Oh good, I can finally cross that off my to-do list," he interrupted her thoughts. She blinked several times, tearing her eyes away from his for a moment before she smiled slyly.

            "Ah, well I was hoping we could knock something off of mine too…" she said almost regretfully. He frowned at her sudden mood change.

            "And what's exactly would that be?" he asked curiously, absent-mindedly rubbing her fingers.

            "Oh you know, a night of endless snogging."

            He grinned and they did just that.

-:- -:- -:-

            "And then he bought me _this_."

            "Ooh!"

"Is that silver?"

            "It must have cost a fortune!"

            "Oh, you're so lucky!"

            "Ugh, it's not fair, James never-"

            "Yes, yes, it's beautiful. Now why don't you all get down to breakfast already?" a voice – Isabella – interrupted crossly. Angela turned onto her back, slowly, as to make no noise. She didn't quite want to get up yet, and any sound coming from her bed would result in a rather rude awakening from Isabella. It was best to lie low, stay quiet and stare at the deep crimson hangings until her friend went down to breakfast. 

            "Oh Isabella, don't be so grumpy. It's really a nice necklace, you know," Vanessa said with awe. She was obviously enthralled by the said necklace, and since Isabella had interrupted Charisma when she tried to express her annoyance at James, Angela deducted that it belonged to Giselle. 

            "I said it was beautiful, didn't I?" was Isabella's irritated reply.

            "Yes, but you didn't _mean_ it," Charisma piped up with a laugh. Angela pondered the current state of her hair. 

            "It's alright. I'm sure she gets stuff like this all the time," Giselle said to her friends, the envy evident in her voice as she added to Isabella, "That's how it is when you go out with someone like _Sirius_."

            "Mmm, yeah. However did you manage to keep him? And for nearly two years!" Vanessa swooned. Angela could practically see Isabella roll her eyes. 

            "Oh, he's so cute!"

            "And funny."

            "And he's brilliant, did you see his grades?"

            "I know, I know. I'm _so_ very lucky, now why don't you all ponder the mystery of Sirius down at _breakfast_?" Isabella said briskly. They all giggled and allowed themselves to be ushered out the door by Isabella, judging from the slam. 

            "Angela, get up," she said. Suddenly, the hangings were pulled aside and her covers thrown onto the floor and Angela was left curled into a ball, squinting through the sunlight. 

            "Izzy!" she cried, blinking rapidly, "I'm cold!"

            "It's bloody April! What are doing with two blankets?" Isabella pointed out, picking up the heap of covers and depositing them at the foot of her bed.

            "I need them!" she exclaimed indignantly.

            "You do _not_ need them!" Isabella countered, now grabbing her ankles and yanking her feet off the bed and onto the floor. "It's April, not January. It's warm and sunny, not freezing. Merlin! It makes me wonder what you're trying to hide under there."

            "Oh, very funny," Angela grumbled sarcastically, extending her hands and allowing Isabella to pull her up to sitting position.

            "Are they gone yet??" a muffled voice called from the direction of the bathroom.

            "_Yes_, Lil'. I drove them out. Now get in here, Angela's finally up!" Isabella yelled back.

            "What do you mean, 'finally'? It's only eight-thirty!" Angela muttered, while the door to the showers opened and Lily appeared in her bathrobe.

            "Lily, what was that? You're _not_ going to hide from her, it's sad," Isabella said, as soon as she was out.

            "I'm not hiding… I just didn't want to see her face this morning…" Lily mumbled, not looking her in the eye.

            "Right, you better not do that every morning, okay?" she said sternly. Lily rolled her eyes and rummaged through her trunk for her robes.

            "_Any_way," Isabella said, turning back to Angela who was still rubbing her face wearily. She bounced heavily onto her bed and finally settled when Angela glared at her, "So, Ms. Heathers. Just _where_ were _you_ last night, huh?"

            "Yeah, care to tell us what took _two_ hours?" Lily asked slyly, "Could it have something to do with a certain Mr. Lupin?"

Angela tried to glare at her too but couldn't keep from grinning.

            "Aha! A smile! So what happened?" Isabella said, laughing. Lily came over and plopped onto the foot of the four-poster, knocking the blankets to the floor.

            "We kissed," she mumbled, a faint blush creeping up to her cheeks.

            "What was that?" Lily asked, cupping the back of her ear and leaning forward slightly.

            "We _kissed_," she repeated, pulling on some socks.

            "Sorry, honey. You're going to have to speak up," Isabella said, playing along.

            "I _said_, we kissed." Angela said in a normal tone, finally standing up and walking over to her trunk.

            "What?" Lily asked, flashing her a mischievous grin.

            "Ugh, you heard me! We kissed!!"

            "I didn't quite catch that…" Isabella added. They exchanged mirthful looks.

            "Oh, bloody hell! WE KISSED!! WE KISSED!!" she bellowed, standing up. "Happy?" she asked redundantly, as they were doubled up with laughter. She couldn't keep from smiling at the sight and crossed her arms to achieve a more bothered look.

            "Oh, Angela… That's great, that's great…" Lily said, gasping between peals of laughter. Isabella wiped a tear from her eye.

            "What happened? What did he do? Where'd you go, anyway?" Isabella asked intently.

            "You know that note you gave me? He told me to meet him and so I did, and at first he was asleep – you should see him asleep, he looked _so_ cute – and then I woke him up. Then he told me that he likes me… and then, well, we kissed."

            "We got _that_ part… how was it?"

            "Great… I don't know… okay, this sounds really stupid but… well, it felt like this is what I've been waiting for, you know?" she said uncertainly.

            Isabella raised an eyebrow, "I should have expected an oh-so-deep-Angela reaction," she said, smilingly before sighing dramatically. "This is going to hurt."

"It _should_," Angela stated meanly, "Go on…" she prompted. Lily was staring at the covers with a calculating look.

Isabella took a deep, theatrical breath.

"I'm sorry," she said, breaking into a smile, "Sorry, about all I've said about you two…"

            "It's okay," Angela responded with a smirk.

            "You know, I think you'll be Remus' first girlfriend…" Lily said, looking at them thoughtfully.

            "_Really_?" Isabella exclaimed, looking astonished.

            "Yeah, I noticed that too," Angela added, furrowing her brow.

            "Well, of course _you_ noticed. You've practically been his official stalker for the last _three_ years –" 

"One."

"Three."

"One!"

"Two."

"Ok, fine, _two_."

"But really? He's never has a girlfriend?" Isabella asked again.

            "Yeah, I thought he might be gay or something… I mean, girls _do_ like him…" Lily added.

            "Hey! My _boyfriend_ is _not_ gay!" Angela cried indignantly.

            "Aww, look at yourself, all defending him! Angela's finally got herself a boyfriend, hasn't she?" Isabella added, nudging and winking at her several times just to annoy her.

            "This is so great!"

            "I know… I think the best part about last night was when I woke him up and he started tickling me… It was just proof that he wasn't mad at me anymore…" Angela said, somewhat dreamily.

            "Mad? Why would he be mad?"

            "Yeah, it's about time you tell us."

            "Er… tell you what?" she tried to deny.

            "What happened at the ball with you two. Don't bother denying it." Angela bit her lip. She didn't want to talk about that evening now that it was over – it was too embarrassing. She still couldn't believe the way she'd acted and she wished she could go back and rehearse before she'd done it. Even reciting from note-cards would have been better.

            "Okay, well," she sighed heavily, "You know that hedge over at the Astronomy tower? Well…"

-:- -:- -:-

            Lily stomped into the library, red-faced and fuming, a notebook and text clutched in her arms. She meandered through the tables and chairs, scanning for an empty seat and growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of. She glared at the windows where sunlight poured through, casting long, rectangular patches of light on the tables and chairs. Why was the library so damned crowded when it was a beautiful day out? She just couldn't study in the common room with all that racket Sirius and Remus were making with their newest invention, and after telling them off heatedly she had hoped to find solace in the only place that'd never failed her. Now Lily cast her eyes over the tables crowded with lower classmen, most talking and a few fanatically studying for their final exams that were to be administered in about a month's time, and clucked her tongue at them, receiving several frightened looks. Resignedly, she pulled out an empty seat between two Hufflepuff first years and slammed her books down on the bit of empty table space, making a few students jump. 

            "Are you studying?" the little girl next to her asked when she opened her text to the page she had marked and began reading intently. She shot the beaming blond a vicious look, wondering how daft someone could get. 

            "Yes," she replied through gritted teeth, and noticing that the girl still watched her, "You?"

            "I have a transfiguration test next period," she replied, pointing to her own text, laid open in front of her, "What are you studying for?"

            "Transfiguration."

            "Ooh, so am I."

            Grunt.

            "What year are you in?"

            "Sixth."

            "What's your name?"

            "Lily."

            "Oh. I'm Mina." This seemed to be the end of her interrogation so Lily continued to read her text, relaxing her clenched jaw slightly. _The transfiguration of a simple inanimate object into a live animal requires maximum concentration. One's mind must be set on the task at hand only, as any amount of distraction may cause irreversible error._

            "No really," she muttered to herself sarcastically.

            "Did you say something?" Mina asked, watching her intently. Lily didn't even bother to look up and answered in a flat, dead, tone.

            "No."

            "Yes you did, I heard you… What house are you in?"

            "Gryffindor."

            "Are you a prefect?" she asked obnoxiously, pointing to Lily's badge.

            "Yes," she replied, her jaw clenched once more.

            "Oh, then you must know him," she pointed tactlessly at someone across the table. Lily finally looked up and groaned when she recognized whom the said 'him' was. James was sitting back in his chair, his feet resting on top of the table directly across from her. His face was covered by the huge book that he held up and when he put it down to turn the page, Lily saw a young girl sitting on his lap, waving his wand around. The girl couldn't have been older than four, and she had the same smile and hair as James, though it's shoulder length spared her the messiness. He looked around and raised an eyebrow when he spotted her staring at him. 

            "Ugh, its you!" Lily said, provoked by the mere sight of him. Ever since that night after the Anniversary Ball, she and James had either ignored each other or behaved rudely towards one another. Three weeks had passed and things hadn't improved between them, except that their friends were desperately trying to remedy the rift in their relationship and James and Charisma had teamed up against her, excessively kissing and making a show of their relationship whenever she was nearby. As far as she saw it, he was invading her privacy by appearing at the one place she had found suitable for her studies. The little girl stopped waving the wand and looked at her curiously for a moment before turning up to James.

            "Who's she?" she asked in an innocent lisping voice. He picked up the book again to shield Lily from view and pointed to a moving illustration of a man turning into a horse. The little girl tugged on the neck of his robes and James was visibly growing agitated. 

            "Here, Adri, look at that. No! Not _her_, over _here_… look, see that unicorn?" he asked, pointing to something in the book and trying to divert his sister's attention from Lily to the colorful illustrations. Apparently he was going to ignore her today. The little girl knocked the book carelessly out of his hands and waved vigorously at Lily.

            "Hi!" she exclaimed loudly and with great waving of arms, while James bent down to pick up the book that was now on the floor, one hand clasped securely around her waist to prevent her from falling. Lily gave her a thin-lipped smile at first, but couldn't resist broadening it when she grinned charmingly back.

            "Hello there," she said warmly, giving James a hesitant look when he appeared above the table again. He put down the book distractedly and was just about to settle back into his former position when his sister reached for a quill farther down the table and knocked over his whole bag.

            "Adrienne! I told you not to touch that stuff!" he cried exasperatedly as an assortment of quills, parchment, books, and inkpots crashed down to the floor. He sighed and raised her off his lap enough for him to get up, placed her back on the seat, and started cleaning up the mess and apologizing to those around him who were now graced with ink stains. Lily raised her eyebrow at his looking so discomposed and kept herself from volunteering to help him as she normally would have done, reminding herself that, ungrateful bastard that he was, he'd probably find some way to insult or embarrass her. The little girl caught her attention now, as she was staring right at her with wide brown eyes.

            "Can you read?" she asked when Lily looked at her, absentmindedly ripping up a piece of parchment half-filled with writing. A smiled tugged at the corners of Lily's mouth as she recognized the title of James' Potions essay, which he would surely have to do over now, and she was instantly in a better mood. 

            "Yes, I can. What about you?" she answered, aware that the obnoxious blond girl who was next to her had just left. 

            "No, I'm only four years old. I can spell my name!" she declared, pushing the shreds of parchment carelessly away from her and leaning forward in the chair, her chin barely visible above the table. She clasped her small hands together and placed them atop the table, nodding proudly. Lily chuckled.

            "Wow, you can? Why don't you show me over here?" she said, pushing a scrap parchment and quill towards her. The little girl eagerly grabbed the parchment and Lily watched amusedly as she hastily, and almost illegibly scrawled eight letters onto it and pushed it back towards her. She looked at the older girl anxiously, waiting to be judged.

            "Adrienne?" Lily asked, glancing at her for approval and the girl nodded, "That's very good. I'm Lily."

            "Lily? Oh… did you know, my brother can read too," she said, smiling, swollen with pride. Lily smirked.

            "Well, I should hope. He's certainly older than four," she said sardonically. James came up above the table again and slammed his bag back on the table.

            "Now just _who_ are you talking to?" he asked playfully, picking his sister off the chair, setting himself on it instead and settling her on his lap, all the while tickling her. She laughed hysterically and he stopped.

            "My new friend Lily," she answered, pointing across the table. Lily threw him a stony look and was confused to see him return it with a facetious grin.

            "Oh good, by the sound of that voice I could have sworn it was Filch," he said, sounding dramatically relieved. 

            "James!" Lily cried, surprised that he would act nasty even with his little sister around. He was _not_ a good example at all, especially being a prefect. 

            "Filth?" Adrienne asked, confused.

            "Never mind that. Let's go back to the book, and don't look at her for too long, it'll burn your eyes out," he warned matter-of-factly, covering her eyes with his hand while she wriggled around, giggling.

            "James, please. Don't be so bloody immature," Lily said through clenched teeth, glaring at him and trying to keep her cool. She hoped no one around them was listening to their conversation.

            "Yes, quite. What've you done now, dear?" a voice asked amusedly from behind them. Lily looked up and James turned to see a middle-aged woman with jet-black hair, wearing dark green robes. Adrienne raised her arms and the woman reached over and picked her up.

            "Nothing Mum," James replied with an angelic smile.

            "I don't believe that for a second. McGonagall just finished letting me know exactly how you and your friends have earned that _record_ for detentions, I've never seen Minerva so rattled. How do you explain that, James? You need to be serious about your behavior if you want to be Head Boy next year, and you know you'll regret all those years of hard work if you don't –" Mrs. Potter continued while James rolled his eyes and groaned. 

            "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I never do anything serious mum, the teachers just have it in for me, can't imagine why. Anyway, are you done? Because I can't watch Adrienne for much longer, I've got Quidditch practice in ten minutes –"

            "That's alright, you won't be going," Mrs. Potter interrupted, waving a hand for him to shut up. She looked as though she would continue and threw a suspicious look at the students around them. Her gray eyes locked with Lily's and suddenly the prefect felt as though she was intruding on something. Giving Mrs. Potter a small smile, she packed her bags without hesitating, vaguely wondering why on earth _she _was the one leaving. If they wanted to discuss something, couldn't they find another more private place? She continued on with her task and moved towards a bookshelf behind the table, curious as to what Mrs. Potter was doing at Hogwarts in the first place.

            "Nice girl," Mrs. Potter commented, nodding at Lily as she left the table smiling and disappeared amongst some bookshelves.

            "You wouldn't know," James snorted. Mrs. Potter raised an eyebrow and smirked.

            "Pretty girl then," she amended, her eyes twinkling. James opened his mouth but she cut him off, "But that's not the point. You're coming with us – to Hogsmeade – you're father's waiting there. We need to talk."

            "Uh… why?"

            "We'll tell you when we get there, come," she added, waving her hand towards the door.

            "What are you on about? What's going on?" James asked apprehensively, giving his mother a serious look.

            Mrs. Potter sighed wearily and bit her lip, "Do you remember… what we discussed this summer? About a certain possibility?" James nodded slowly and she continued, "Well, it turns out that it's become very possible, probable actually. And tonight, well… tonight we'll all spend together," she finished vaguely. She reached over and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder, looking very uncomfortable as she tried to balance Adrienne on her hip. He licked his lips and sighed when she offered him her hand.

            "C'mon, let's go," she beckoned to him. He packed his bags carefully and didn't even notice the now destroyed Potions paper he had been working on earlier. They walked silently out of the library, occupied with their own thoughts.

            Lily emerged from behind the bookshelf, confused as ever as her eyes followed three figures towards the exit. She went back to the table and opened her transfiguration text. Staring at it intently, and giving everyone else the illusion that she was studying, she thought about what she'd just heard. What was going on?

-:- -:- -:-

            Angela raised an eyebrow at the tentacle that shot up from the lake, picked up a cracker, and threw it to the demanding limb. She watched it dip back under water and went back to reading her Transfiguration text. There was a test tomorrow and she figured she should actually study for this one since it was a hard topic, and also because if she aced it, she would definitely pass the year no matter what she got on the final exam. She looked up momentarily when a small stone whizzed past her, narrowly missing her nose, and saw Remus catching the gray rock and skillfully shoot it into the lake. He was skipping rocks, sitting back against the tree and she lay on her stomach next to him, the book sitting open right under her chin. 

            "Watch out, you'll hit the Giant Squid," she warned as he skipped another. 

            "He'll just think it's one of your crackers," he answered lazily, summoning a few more rocks from near the bank. Angela watched the surface of the water ripple and bubble as another tentacle emerged. She reached into the paper bag next to her and threw another cracker at it.

            "What makes you think it's a he? It could be a she, you know," she said somewhat defensively, drawing her arms out in front of her and rolling onto her back to indulge in a full-body stretch and an accompanying yawn. He shrugged and threw another flat stone at the surface.

            "We don't know, I guess… I mean, I don't think anyone would care to look at its genitals…" he answered thoughtfully, poking her stomach and causing her to flip back over to escape his tickling her further.

            "Do Giant Squids even _have_ genitals?" she asked, watching as the creature in question extended another limb. She sighed and reached into the bag once more. Pulling out a cracker, she threw her arm over her shoulder to toss it when Remus skipped another rock. She watched the squid catch the rock and sink back into the water.

            "Er… Oops?" he said, smiling sheepishly at her 'are-you-stupid?' look, "Don't worry, I'm sure it won't choke or anything…"

            They both turned towards the lake when a deep, gurgling sound erupted from beneath a layer of bubbles. In horror, they watched a great, grayish purple transparent thing rise to the surface and swim towards the grounds nearest to them. Remus stood up and Angela struggled to her knees as it suddenly jumped ten feet into the air.

            "Run!" Remus yelled, grabbing her arm. He pulled her up and they ran a few paces before being hit in the back by great waves of cool water as the squid splashed back into the lake. Angela stood stiff, gasping from the cold and blinking the water out of her eyes, her hair soaked and a few strands stuck to her cheek. Remus let go of her arm and shook his head in a dog-like manner, hitting her with cold droplets of water while laughing. She turned and gave him her most murderous glare and he quickly stopped.

            "I. Told. You." She said, still blinking water out of her eyes, now shivering from the water. Remus looked at her apologetically, and gently pushed her soaking hair out of her face so that it didn't drip in her face any more. She flared her nostrils and slapped his hand away, replacing it with her own, gathering her thick mane and twisting the water out. She thought she heard her name being called and stopped to listen for a moment, looking around for the source and waiting for it to be repeated. 

            "What?" Remus asked, watching her turn around completely, seemingly searching the grounds for something or other. She turned back slowly and gave him a questioning look.

            "Did you hear that?"

            "What?"

            "I think someone was calling me…"

            "I didn't hear anything," he answered, looking around as well and then grinning when he spotted no one, "Maybe you've got too much water in your ears? It might have drowned out your normal hearing. You might be mistaking those swishy ocean sounds with '_Aaangieee, Aaangieee_…' –"

            "Oh, and who's fault would that be?" she interrupted his soft, exaggeratedly airy tone. "Would you do some drying charm or something? I can't find my wand, I think I left it in my dorm."

            "Sure," he answered, pulling out his own. He muttered an incantation over both of them and they were instantly dry.

            "That's better. Now… oh no, where's my book? I hope it didn't fall into the – " she stopped and looked around again, "There it is, again! Someone's calling me!" 

            Remus looked back towards the tree they had been reclining near and frowned at the figure leaning against it, watching them interestedly, "Yup, over there. _Him_."

            Angela turned around muttering, "Bloody idiots, if you want me to answer, speak up!" under her breathe and trailed off when she recognized the figure. Lucius Malfoy stood against the tree, twirling her wand idly in one hand while the other casually threw her text up in the air and caught it repeatedly. Seeing them watching him, he smirked and started towards them.

            "Ugh, not now. Erm… wait for me while I go talk to him," Angela muttered, patting Remus' arm before meeting Lucius halfway there. 

            "Angela," Lucius said when she reached him, tying her hair up hastily. "That was quite something, that squid. I've never seen it do that before."

            "Yeah, well it's not often that it tries to gulp down a rock. I told Remus not to throw it, but did he listen?" Angela explained condescendingly, accepting her wand and textbook from him, "Thanks. It's lucky you found this," she waved the wand, "I thought I'd left it in my dormitory."

            "Not a problem," he said distractedly. Slightly alarmed, she noticed him looking at Remus curiously and felt the need to divert his attentions.

            "So, what are you doing down here alone?" she asked conversationally. 

            "I was at Quidditch practice… it's just ended."

            "Really? You're not on the team though," she observed in confusion.

            "No," he fixed her with a clever smile, "I'm treasurer."

            "Er… treasurer?"

            "And advisor."

            "Treasurer and advisor… so you do exactly _what_?" she asked incredulously. He gave her a hard look before answering.

            "This is between you and me, Angela, as you _are_ family. Under no other circumstances would I reveal this kind of information to anyone of any other house. Especially not a _Gryffindor_. No offense intended, of course," he added as an afterthought.

            "None taken," Angela answered quickly, bursting with curiosity.

            "Well then, I fund the team."

            "You _fund_ the team? What, you sponsor the team? Our teams don't need sponsorship, they're not going on world tours or anything, they're not even entering into tournaments outside Hog–" 

            "No, no." He waved his hand, as though dismissing her ideas, "I make sure our team has the latest equipment and gear. And I advise the captain… and get to make important decisions, like scheduling games and team members; who's worth keeping and who gets kicked," he explained casually, inspecting his nails and flicking a piece of fluff off his finger. 

            "Oh," she answered, trying to digest the shocking details without looking shocked, "I wouldn't have thought."

            "Well, that's the point, isn't it? Can't have everyone up our arses for 'cheating'. Anyway, we could continue this conversation at dinner you know, why don't you join us tonight?" he asked, giving her a hard look and sending Remus, still standing about ten feet away, the briefest glance that did not go unnoticed by Angela's sharp gaze. 

            "Sure, it's been a while afterall."

            "Yeah, I have to get back… I'm meeting some friends. I'll see you later then." With that and a tight-lipped smile, he started towards the forest, away from the castle. Angela let out a relieved breathe, turned around, and walked back towards where Remus was waiting, stuffing her wand into her pocket after muttering a quick drying charm over her sopping text.

            "What did he want?" he asked, slipping his hand into hers as they started the trek up to the castle. She gave him a small smile and felt strangely important when she answered,

            "Oh nothing, he asked me to have dinner with them."

            "Oh…" he sounded hesitant, "so you're going to?"

            "Uhuh, I haven't even talked to him in like a week, I should," she said by way of explanation.

            "You really think so?" he asked casually, though she noticed him fidgeting.

            "Do you have a problem with me having dinner with my _cousin_?" she asked patronizingly. He had no right to be annoyed with her decisions.

            "Of course not, it's just that… you've never thought of him as your cousin and I don't really see why you do now. Especially when he's so… I just don't see why you're trying to hold up any sort of relationship with him when he's proved to be nothing but a git, to us and to you too, all these years. Worse than a git he's a-"

            "Yeah I know what you mean," she interrupted the train of insults that he was about to produce. "The thing is-"

            "Oy! Remus, Angela, have you guys seen James?" They turned to see Sirius running towards them, clad in his red and gold Quidditch uniform, knee and elbow-pads included. He brandished his Beater's club fiercely and Angela bit back a laugh at his disheveled forest-green hair. He had taken to experimenting with new colors on his own hair after failing to convince them to be his guinea pigs. 

            "No… I thought he'd be at practice," Remus answered thoughtfully.

            "Er… I saw him in the common room a while ago and he said something about the library…" Angela added.

            "When?"

            "I dunno…. Must've been ten o' clock… yeah around then…" she answered uncertainly. Sirius sighed exasperatedly.

            "The whole bloody team's been waiting for twenty minutes. We can't start practice without James and he had some trial plays planned with the reserve chaser… I can't help out with that because we need another player. On top of that, we had to drive the Slytherins off the field – I did get a couple good hexes in there though…" he grinned here, "But well, visit the hospital wing and you'll see the effects on Snape. And Malfoy was there for some reason… nevermind, I have to get a hold of James so I can throttle him."

            "Okay, well… you just need another chaser?" Remus asked.

            "Yeah, so we can play four on four… will you do it? We're wasting our time waiting for James if he's not going to show up."

            "Yeah, sure… who's the reserve? McKinnon?" he asked, starting to walk with Sirius towards the pitch. Angela felt a bit out of place and was just going to get back up the castle when she realized Remus still held her hand, and she was being pulled along with them. She walked in between the two, mainly ignoring the Quidditch chatter she barely understood.

            "Thanks, mate. Yeah, the fourth year. He's quite good but he's got a bit of a problem with teamwork, you know? He kind of hogs the quaffle and hurls it at the goal, no matter where he is. We're trying to break him out of that, but it would really help if we had James around to…" he trailed off with Remus nodding and suggesting ways to improve the player. Angela watched the field loom closer with tiny red figures flying all around above. Two figures could be seen throwing the quaffle back and forth and another two racing around and around the pitch. Just watching was making her dizzy. She shook her head and looked away from the spectacle when her gaze fell on another three figures walking further away from the pitch, towards the Hogsmeade gates; a tall one with messy, black hair, a shorter woman, and a child.

            "Hey, isn't that James?" she said suddenly, pointing to the figures.

            "Yeah… it is…" Remus answered, squinting towards them.

            "And his mum… and I think that's his sister…" Sirius expanded, holding a hand to his brow to shade it from the sunlight. 

            "What are they doing here?" she wondered aloud. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the worried glance that Remus and Sirius exchanged.

-:- -:- -:-

            The brown tawny owl flew into the common room and directly towards her. It perched atop her shoulder and hooted, loud and incessant, heralding its arrival.

            "_Hold on_!" she said exasperatedly when it commenced pecking her ear, she scratched in the end of her sentence and then put down her quill. She untied the scroll and rolled her eyes at her friends' curious looks, "My father's bloody owl…" she explained while unrolling the parchment and then rolling it up the opposite way to straighten it, "I hate the ugly thing, I wish he'd get rid of it. It used to keep me up all night, either pecking at me or screeching at bloody one in the morning! Once it even tried to eat my sheets." She eyed the still-hooting bird distastefully and raised an eyebrow at Vanessa when she started cooing and stroking its feathers.

            Turning back to the parchment in her hand, her eyes roved over the short greeting, the brief explanation of the matter, and the lengthy apology. She swallowed hard when she finished reading it.

            "What is it?" Giselle asked curiously. She pushed the parchment towards her.

            "See for yourself," she said unnecessarily, picking up her quill and holding it over the essay she had been working on before. Vanessa leaned over to read the letter as well.

            "Are you serious?" Giselle asked incredulously. 

            "Of course I am. Why the hell would they joke about that?" she answered irritably, pressing the tip of her quill to the parchment but unable to do anything more. She couldn't even remember what she was going to write.

            "Oh, Charisma!" Vanessa gasped, giving her a sorrowful look.

            "What!" she snapped. What she did _not_ want right now was pity.

            "When will it be?" Giselle asked quietly.

            "Probably the end of the month. Admission deadlines are in about two weeks," she said tonelessly.

            "How do you know?"

            "They've been looking into this for a while now. It's why I'm here in the first place."

            "Oh…"

            She stared at the parchment again, willing herself to write and then remembered that she _couldn't_ remember what to write. She sighed dejectedly and threw down her quill.

            "I bloody hate this."

-:- -:- -:-

            It was this kind of thing that made her nervous about keeping what they had. It was this line of questioning that finally made her consider what she was doing. It was this simple question:

            "So what about your friends?"

            Asked so casually, so nonchalantly, it could have been a comment on the food, or the weather, or any other trivial thing surrounding them but the look in his eye told her otherwise. Nevertheless, it could only be answered with the same air of indifference, and so it was.

            "What about them?" she answered steadily, stalling. What could he want to know? She was eager to answer it out right, that they were her friends and it was none of his business what they were like. That she loved them, that they cared for her, that she had a boyfriend and that she didn't care what he thought of him…

            He lifted that fine brow and clarified, "What are they like? I know what _I _think of them, but what do _you_?" A few heads turned towards her interestedly, a few threw her steely glares, as though daring her to answer honestly and at the same time, daring her to lie. She set down her fork and put on a thoughtful expression, knowing how she would answer, and at the same time asking herself why.

            "Okay… well, who do you want to know about?" she asked coolly. What would she say? He'll want to know about Lily and Isabella, how she felt about the fickle nature of the latter towards guys probably, and oh! He would want her opinion on Lily's parentage, having a Muggle-born for a friend, maybe even call her a Mudblood. But that wouldn't be a problem, would it? She would just explain that such a thing meant nothing to her, that she was above such superficial ideas, that pureblood or Muggle-born – a witch was a witch, that one's _blood_ did not matter…

            But she knew that she couldn't say that, that something held her back, that she felt the need to fabricate the details, that in that short moment she'd already made a mental list of all her friends' faults, shortcomings, deficiencies and etc, and _that_ thought made her cringe with guilt.

            "Who to begin with?" he asked rhetorically. Angela watched him glance knowingly at Snape and she was sure that bloodliness would be brought up…

            "What about the… ah… boys?" he asked interestedly. She blinked and then raised an inquiring eyebrow. _The boys?_ She hadn't thought of the boys. It suddenly occurred to her that she was sitting at the Slytherin table amidst sixth- and seventh-years, _next_ to _Severus Snape_. Of course he'd be interested in them.

            "Yes, what are their names?" he glanced at Snape again, "Potter, Black, Lupin and… Prettygoon?"

            "Pettigrew," she amended, stuffing a forkful of Shepherd's Pie into her mouth and reminding herself to do so periodically. "Or James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter rather. Well, they're all… intelligent…"

            "Really? I hear that all they do is pull mindless pranks…"

            "Yes, well… they're at the top of the class, some of the cleverest in our year. They're very intelligent, they just have stupid, mindless ways to show their… uh, genius." There, a sugarcoated insult. Or an offensive compliment.

            "What are they like individually then, if they're such geniuses together?" he added mockingly. She didn't even hesitate to answer now, so ready she was with the perfect answers.

            "Individually? Hmm…" she put on a show of thinking, "Well, individually they're all just… idiots. There's not another word to describe them. James, well, all _he_ does is pranks. Pranks and Quidditch. I'd say there's some hope for him since he's a prefect, at least he's putting his talents to use there and also on the Quidditch pitch. But really, when it comes down to it, all that matters to him are stupid pranks and girls… he's really quite shallow," she took a bite of her food, going over what she'd just said. Where had _that_ come from? Had she just thought that she was _ready_ to answer? Well, that was obviously a horrible attempt. She'd have to try harder with the next one.

            "Erm… Sirius and James are very much alike; they could be brothers for everything but their looks. I would say Sirius was a bit less concerned… he's more impulsive and stuff – he never thinks before he does anything. And of course, most of those stupid pranks are usually his ideas, he's obsessed," she gave Snape a sympathetic look and pat his arm, almost choking when she'd realized what she'd done. He blinked and stared at her while she took a long sip from her goblet to hide her discomfort. Lucius looked amused. _Okay, Angela, you're screwing this up big time. Breathe. Wait, no, they might notice. Think. Remus._

            She cleared her throat, "Remus is… very nice." _No! The bad, think of the bad_, she thought. But she couldn't do that, she didn't want to tell them something like, 'he's sulky'. _Okay, don't freak, just go with something bland – make something up._ "He's studious, and er… he's smart… and he's like the brains of the group." _That's enough, right?_ "Now for Peter, he just kind of follows them around. Honestly, I can't even think of why he hangs out with them. He's nothing like them – he's a wuss, and has this paranoid fear of always being left out by everyone… The others just let him hang out with them out of pity, I assume. I mean, he's nothing like them," she repeated, mentally letting out the breath she'd been holding since the beginning of the conversation. 

            "That's interesting," Lucius commented, exchanging looks with Snape. He put down his utensils and wiped his mouth on a napkin. Angela did the same, noticing that more than half the hall was empty – including most of the Gryffindor table. Her friends had apparently left and, hopefully, she could too. "I'll to be going now, we'll talk more later." Lucius continued, in that superior tone that she resented. She wasn't just some stupid, Slytherin idiot that took orders from him. Nevertheless, she stood up, noticing that he hadn't even moved – he probably wanted to discuss their conversation with Snape – and smirked at him. His attitude towards her was extremely irritating and angering.

            "I'll see you later then, Lucius," she said coolly, brazenly reaching over to kiss his cheek. She walked barely ten paces from where they were seated and – out of sudden inspiration – turned and met Snape's cold gaze, as they were watching her departure, "Bye-bye Severus!" she called, smiling coquettishly with a delicate wave of her hand. Continuing out of the hall, she relished Lucius' obviously astonished look and Snape's gulp, feeling oddly satisfied.

-:- -:- -:-

A/N: I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out – I've been stuck on the last scene for about three weeks. If you haven't already noticed, sometime around October, I posted a new Chapter 2 called Hogsmeade, because I felt like I had to include more Remus and Angela. Check it out!

**Well, from now on I plan to make all the chapters about as long as this one was, if not longer, so the story doesn't end up being 50 chapters long.  So with school and midterms coming up and all, I can't promise that I'll update often. I'll try to get the next chapter in within the next month – but I'm not sure because I have nothing written up for it yet. I'll try to get as much as I can out of this vacation though. I'm aiming for February.**

**Thanks for reading all that (if you did) and give me feedback!**

**-Ruby**

**Ooh, drop off your e-mail address if you want me to notify you when I update. Thanks!**


	12. A Vision

Chapter – 12

A Vision

"James! James!" A voice called, coming closer to her. Isabella groaned and rolled her eyes, originally at no one in particular but as a seventh year boy caught her eye and smirked, she thought she'd might as well complete the task with a certain, not-so-concealed finger aimed at the owner of the voice. He grinned, she grinned – and then was interrupted as someone came to stand right in front of her, blocking him from view.

            "What! Charisma, I'm busy," Isabella said, rudely craning her neck to the side to catch a glimpse of the guy again. Charisma put her hands on her hips, unfazed by her words. She'd learned enough about Isabella Rey in the past weeks to know that she wasn't _really_ annoyed.

            "Oh, you're not," she pointed out now, turning her head to look at the tall brunette that was apparently keeping Isabella 'busy'. She turned back, "He's not even that cute."

            "I don't remember asking for your opinion." 

            "But he's not, his nose is too big… it makes him look like a horse."

            "He's better than anything _you_ could pick up." Isabella answered meanly. This was a typical conversation between them since the 'Eventide of Aftermath', as Sirius had dubbed the night after the Anniversary Ball. There was rudeness and sarcasm but none of it was serious.

            "Actually, I _have_ picked up better. And speaking of my boyfriend, I'm looking for him."

            "As was obviated by that shrill squawking of your voice just a minute ago."

            "He wasn't at dinner or anything," Charisma continued, ignoring Isabella, "Would you happen to know where he is?"

            "Hmm…" Isabella put on a thoughtful expression, "I believe the last time I saw him, a mere three hours ago by the way, he said something about shagging Lily senseless down at the Prefect Meeting room. Try looking there."

            "Oh, it's useless." Charisma muttered sulkily.

            "There, there, darling. Don't be so put-off by it. I admit three hours is quite a long time but if you hurry, you might still catch the show!" Isabella comforted, nodding sincerely. Charisma pursed her lips.

            "I really need to talk to him."

            "I'm sure you do."

            "No, I mean it. I'm serious!"

            "I'm sure you are."

            "Ugh! Will you please just give me a—"

            "James isn't here. He's not even in the castle. He's at Hogsmeade with his mum, doing something we have no knowledge of. Izzy doesn't know anymore, I don't know anymore, even Sirius, Remus, and Peter don't know anymore so don't bother asking them. Now, I need to talk to Izzy, and you need to go tell your friends about whatever happened today." Angela cut in coldly. She pulled up a chair and sank into it, leaning back with her arms crossed over her chest, giving Charisma an impatient glare. Isabella raised her eyebrows at a stunned Charisma.

            "Uh… I guess I'll go then," she said uncertainly, muttering a 'thanks' before she made her way towards the staircase leading up to their dormitory. Angela tucked her legs under her and sat up, rolling her eyes at the retreating figure.

            "Honestly, she acts like I'm a bloody vampire or something. It's not like I'll raise an army of the dead if she says one off word to me… What a drama queen." Angela said irritably.

            "She's creeped out by your whole I-can-actually-see-something-in-a-foggy-crystal-ball act. I congratulate you."

            "It's not an act…"

            "Eh, whatever. So, how was dinner?"

            Angela groaned and put her face into her hands. "It was horrible. It's just me and Lucius talking while the whole bloody table gawks at me. I swear, it's like they all find some special joy in watching me eat."

            "Prime time entertainment."

            "Exactly! It's so embarrassing. And I hate talking to him _so_ much. Hey Lil," Angela added, as the red head pulled up a pouf and sank into it, smiling dreamily. Angela raised an eyebrow, "Where have _you_ been?"

            "With Amir. I think he's drugging her." Isabella said. Lily smiled again and sighed, "See?"

            "He's so sweet, and he's sooo cute, and ugh! Why didn't he ask me out sooner?"

            "Ay, stop it! Your love-sick-ness annoys me. Angela, back to your dinner… What is it you guys talk about anyway?" Isabella asked curiously. Angela remembered why she'd been so miserable in the first place and groaned.

            "Oh, I've done something terrible…" she cried, burying her face in her hands.

            "What, did you kiss Snape or something?" Lily asked, not in the mood to be serious. Angela looked up and stared at her, looking stunned.

            "Oh my God. You did? Angela! Did you?" Lily cried frantically, finally sitting up.

            "Wow," was all that Isabella could manage, blinking.

            "No! No, I did _not_ kiss Snape." Angela said, coming to her senses, "It's just that… um… I kind of, er… I mean…"

            "What?" Lily prompted impatiently, leaning closer.

            "I think I was flirting with him." Angela said quickly, "But that's not the terrible part. The bad part was that Lucius asked me what the guys were like… and I… I kind of…"

            "Uh-oh," Isabella said grimly. Lily looked puzzled.

            "I lied and I said a whole load of crap about them," Angela finished guiltily.

            "Did he ask about us?"

            "No… I just don't know what got into me…" she said sadly.

            "It's okay, you didn't mean it, right?" Lily said quickly, giving her a small smile.

            "Yeah, don't worry about it. As long as you didn't say anything about us!" Isabella added lightly, exchanging worried glances with Lily, "Now let's back up a little, to the part where you flirt with Snape."

            Angela smirked, "I didn't really flirt with him, I just wasn't nasty to him. Like I was patting his arm while we talked at one point and when I left, I actually said 'bye' to him. It's not flirting, it's just being _nice_…"

            "Hey, Lily, try this!" a voice called from behind them. They all looked up to see Sirius, holding out a golden cake in one hand and Peter behind him.

            "What is it?" Lily asked hesitantly, instinctively shrinking away from it.

            "What does it look like?" Sirius answered sarcastically, "A cake."

            Lily edged her pouf closer to Isabella, away from Sirius.

            "C'mon, it's just a cake. I swear." he said sincerely. Lily reached out and took it tentatively, as though it would explode, and sniffed it.

            "We were just at the kitchens," Peter said, holding out two more cakes to Isabella and Angela.

            "Yeah, we just picked up some stuff. There's nothing wrong with them, honest!" Sirius insisted. Isabella shrugged and took a bite, and after making sure that it was safe, Angela and Lily followed suit.

            "Any sign of James yet?" Angela asked them as they brought over seats. 

            "Nope."

            "It's so weird… I mean, what could he be doing? And it's not fair either, the rest of us don't get to cut all our classes for no reason." Isabella said grumpily. Angela rolled her eyes.

            "It has to be important, Izzy, we saw him with his Mum. Why would Mrs. Potter come here unless it was important?"

            "Yeah, I guess… but aren't the Potters one of the school's governors? Maybe she had to visit." Isabella shrugged and brushed the crumbs off her lap. Lily looked pensive with her head cocked to the side.

            "Actually… I saw them in the library before they left for Hogsmeade…" she revealed. Sirius frowned and Peter leaned forward in his seat. Angela and Isabella looked at her curiously.

            "You saw him before Quidditch practice?" Sirius asked anxiously.

            "Er… when was Quidditch practice exactly?"

            "Around four," Angela answered for Sirius.

            "Then yeah, before it," Lily confirmed, "I was studying for the Transfiguration test in the library because I'm so awful at that." Everyone groaned at this because by their standards, Lily's grades in Transfiguration were above average. She continued after pursing her lips at their expressions, "Anyway… Yeah, so it was really crowded and I could only find a seat at this table with a bunch of first-years in it and when I looked up, James was sitting there too, and _with_ his sister… I think her name was Adrienne… Yeah, Adrienne. Ok, so James and I were talking— "

            "Really? You two were talking?" Isabella asked with a hopeful look. Lily shook her head impatiently.

            "I'm sorry, I meant _arguing_," she amended, "Anyway, and then Mrs. Potter interrupted and she sort of looked at me… I don't know, it was like she was telling me to go—"

            "Yeah, she does that a lot. It's creepy." Sirius put in with a shudder.

            "Yeah. So she gave me that look and I kind of felt like I was intruding or something and then she told James that they were going to Hogsmeade to talk about some stuff. James asked what was going on, and his mum said something about what they talked about over the summer being probable? I don't know. All I know is that James looked really upset when they left…" Lily finished, looking at Sirius and Peter for a reaction.

            "Would you know what they were talking about?" Isabella asked the boys.

            Sirius shook his head, "I have an idea, but if it's what I'm thinking of, this is not good…" He shook his head again and leaned forward to rest his chin in his hand. Peter gave Sirius a puzzled look but when he didn't explain, looked away and at the girls uneasily. Isabella continued to stare at him, trying to burn holes through his head, it seemed. Lily wiggled her eyebrows and exchanged a look with Angela who shrugged back.

            "Er… so what have you been up to? Where's Remus?" Lily asked, trying to perhaps dissolve the cloud of gloom that had settled over the group. Apparently whatever was going on with James is more serious than they'd thought.

            "He went home again," Sirius answered tonelessly.

            "To visit his mum?" Angela asked, furrowing her brow, "Well that's funny, he never said a word."

            "He doesn't like to talk about it." Peter supplied after throwing Sirius a quick glance.

            "Well yeah, he would've said something by now if he did. I wonder what his mother has exactly…" Isabella asked rhetorically.

            "Whatever it is, I think he should tell us… or at least me, you know. The least he could do was let me know he was going to visit today… when did he leave anyway?" Angela asked, trying not to sound bitter.

            "Right after dinner," Sirius answered, "We saw him off and then went to the kitchens."

            "Ugh, I just missed him then… I don't get why he doesn't tell us about it…" she reiterated, sighing irritably.

            "Well, it's not that big a deal if you really think about it." Lily proposed, leaning forward in her chair, "I mean, Peter's right, if he doesn't like to talk about it then he's not obligated to…"

            "Yeah, if she's sick, she's sick. You know that he's going to visit her, and she is his mum so it's important, and well… maybe it's none of our business…" Isabella suggested tentatively. 

Angela opened her mouth to reply but Sirius cut her off: "I don't know about that… maybe you _should_ ask him," he said with a strange glint in his eye. Peter stared at him.

"Yeah, I mean, I could just _ask_… and if he doesn't tell me, I'll know that he doesn't want to talk about it and that I gave him a chance." Angela justified to herself and Lily and Isabella, not noticing the looks the boys were exchanging. 

"Yeah," Sirius nodded in agreement before standing up. Peter stood also and walked off towards their dormitory, Sirius following, scratching his head.

The girls watched them go and then stared at each other in silence. Angela sighed.

"I feel like there's more to this."

-:- -:- -:-

            "Ahem." Charisma cleared her throat, after sweeping into the dormitory and closing the door behind her. Lily ignored her, turning back to her book after noting her presence, and Isabella and Angela went back to brushing and charming their manes, respectively, assuming that she was talking to the others. Giselle sighed deeply and Vanessa put on a mournful look. "I have an announcement to make…"

            Isabella glanced at the two and exchanged an exasperated look with Angela (Lily was too busy staring at her text to look up), rolling her eyes as them. Angela took her wand out of her hair and shot Charisma an icy look.

            "Get on with it." she said coldly, her nerves on end already and her glare, mixed with the half-plaited platinum-blond hair that stuck straight up in the air behind her head and her raised wand made her look quite deranged. Charisma pursed her lips for a moment, obviously not appreciating her unkind tone, before reverting back to a regretful look.

"Girls, I know this'll be hard on you and all but… when the semester ends, I won't be coming back to Hogwarts." She announced, walking sadly over to her bed. Giselle and Vanessa already seemed to know about this so they turned back to poring over _Witch Weekly_ together. Lily gaped at her at first before quickly turning back to her book, ears perked up. Angela raised an eyebrow and Isabella just stared at her.

"Er… that's sad… that's_ horrible_…" Isabella lied, biting her lip to hold back a grin.

"Yes, it is… er… why?" Angela asked, somewhat speechless. Charisma sighed.

"My parents move around a lot." she answered shortly.

"If you don't mind me asking, what school did you go to before Hogwarts?" Isabella asked, sincere and polite for once – she was genuinely interested. Lily listened, surprised that no one had bothered to ask that before.

"Well, _immediately_ before I came here, I was home-schooled since last summer… before all that though, I've been to Calais, Beauxbatons, Salem, Durmstrang, Merland's (I've got to tell you, that one was just _wierd_… witches, wizards AND dark creatures…) and, I've been home-schooled in between transfers."

            "Why would you move around so much?" Isabella asked nosily.

            "My parents' jobs are just like that." 

            "Er… ok… what, do they work for the ministry or something?" Angela added, hoping to get more out of her.

            "No. Nothing for the government."

            "Do they own some sort of business then?" Isabella inquired with her eyebrows raised.

            "Nope!" Charisma answered cheerily, backing towards the door and then slamming it on her way out.

            "What was that all about?" Lily asked, staring at the door.

            "I don't know but she's got to be hiding something." Isabella answered, in low tones so the other girls wouldn't hear.

            "Everyone seems to be, today." Angela put in harshly, turning back to her mirror and charming her plait once more.

            "I don't know why you're so angry, Angie. The thing with Remus isn't that big a deal." Isabella said, rolling her eyes.

            "Yeah, honestly. Just ask him and if he tells you, you know. If not, then he doesn't want to talk about it!" Lily added impatiently.

            "I'm going to bed," Angela said sulkily, disregarding their comments.

-:- -:- -:-

            "_What were you doing?_" Peter finally blurted out after an hours' strained silence. He had been flipping through old magazines while Sirius polished and re-polished his broomstick. "Remus is going to kill you." he added in his normal tone.

            "No, because Remus won't know." Sirius corrected almost immediately – it seemed that he'd been waiting for his friend to pose the question. He sat on his bed, across from Peter and leaned forward, a look of enlightenment in his eye.

            "Then what do you think you're doing? You know how long it took Remus to tell _us _about it, if he doesn't want to tell her, then leave it alone!" Peter said urgently, glaring at Sirius.

            "No, because he _should_ tell her. What is he so afraid of? It's Angela! She's not going to blast him to pieces and run away when she finds out, and I really don't think she would break up with him either." Sirius tried to reason.

            "I know, but tell Remus that! Don't get it into her head that there's something going on."

            "I didn't. I only got it into her head that she has the right to _know_, whatever it is that's going on… which I guess is up to Remus to decide. Listen, Pete, you know Remus is never going to tell her on his own." There was a faint tap at the window.

            "Yeah…"

            "Yeah, so we're just giving him a push in the right direction, right?"

            "We?" The tapping grew louder.

            "If Angela asks him at a good time, and knowing Angela, she's pretty good at getting info off of people, so she _will_ ask at the right time, he'll tell her… and even if he doesn't, he'll think that she's suspicious and think about telling her, where he will consult us," he waved his arm to indicate themselves as the tapping grew even more frequent. Peter glanced at the window and then did a double take, running up to the dark, night sky visible through the glass panels. Sirius walked up to see what it was.

            "What the—" he exclaimed, immediately undoing the locks. Together, they pushed the frame open, almost knocking James off of his broomstick, and stood back for him to fly in. James gave them each dirty looks as he dismounted his broomstick and attempted to flatten his windblown hair.

            "I've been out there, pounding for like 10 minutes while you two sat there and ignored me!" he cried indignantly. 

            "We were discussing something important." Peter explained quickly, noting his flared temper and pushed the window closed.

            "And there are doors around, you know. Besides, it couldn't have been 10 minutes…" Sirius muttered, "Where were you anyway?"

            "Remus left already?" James asked instead. Peter nodded, "What were you guys talking about that was so important?"

            "Tell us what happened first," Sirius challenged, "We know your Mum and Adrienne were here."

            "Who told you? Lily?" James grimaced and they could tell he was ready to tell her off.

            "No. Well yeah… but Sirius saw you first…" Peter answered.

            "Yeah, Remus and Angela were with me, we saw you guys walking towards Hogsmeade. And Remus filled in for you at practice." Sirius added.

            "Good… how's McKinnon doing now?" he asked distractedly, shoving his broomstick under his bed.

            "Good." Sirius answered, crossing his arms over his chest.

            "Passing more?" he asked, now opening his trunk, his back to them.

            "Good."

            "And how's his aim?"

            "Good."

            "Is he still afraid of the bludger? We can't have a beater that's—"

            "McKinnon's the reserve _chaser_, you prat. Just tell us what happened!" Sirius cried exasperatedly.

            "Yeah, we won't tell anyone…" Peter added.

            James sat back against his bed and sighed, drawing his knees up to his chest. "It's a really long story…" 

            "Okay… we'll go first then." Peter suggested, looking at Sirius.

            "Fine, but you'd better tell us when we're done… it's not all that interesting anyway…" he added, obviously impatient to hear James' story.

            "I will, I will. Get on with it." James urged.

            "Well we were down in the common room with Izzy, Angie, and Lily when they asked where Remus was…"

            "You told them??" James cried, his eyes wide.

            "No, no, calm down. Wait until I'm done. Anyway, Peter and I told them, like usual, that he was off to see his mum. But then, a brilliant idea popped into my head!"

            "Oh Merlin…" James muttered, rolling his eyes.

            "Shut up. So after I told them where he was, Angie said something about how she doesn't understand why Remus doesn't tell her what's wrong with his mum. You could tell she felt bad saying something like that because she kept adding that he could've at least told her that he was going tonight, which apparently he didn't."

            "That's weird."

            "Actually, he was in a bit of a hurry after dinner and Angela sat with the Slytherins again…" Peter reasoned, and the three grimaced.

            "Point… Well then Peter here saved us with a simple, 'He doesn't like to talk about it' and Lily and Izzy were all for that and trying to convince Angie that it was nothing. So I said that maybe Angie _should_ ask him and Angie agreed. She thought that if she asked him and he told her, then she'd know. And if he _didn't_ tell her, then she'd know Peter's right and he doesn't like to talk about it!"

            "Explain how that accomplishes anything." James asked wearily, taking his glasses off to clean them on his shirt.

            "Don't you see it? This is the only way to get Remus to tell them! It would make our, and his, life so much easier if we didn't have to keep covering for him. I mean, we know they're not going to shun him or anything; they'll probably just be nicer to him. You know how girls are. When Angela asks him, he might tell her!"

            "Or – and I have to say this is more likely – he'll just say that his mum's sick, like usual!!" James answered in false excitement, mocking Sirius.

            "Or, he _won't_ tell her but he'll _think about_ telling her and then he'll come to _us_ and we'll tell _him_ to tell _her_. That's more logical, I'd say." Sirius finished.

            "It is, in a twisted way and you're right, it might happen. The problem is, he might not tell her and then just dismiss it right there. And what if Angela mentions you? He'll kill you if he finds out that you're putting ideas into her head."

            "That's exactly what I said! Besides, no matter how many times we've tried to convince him, he still thinks the girls'll hate him if they find out and when Angela asks, he'll be sure to make up an excuse right away to avoid any questions." Peter offered.

            "You've got to admit, Padfoot, Peter's got a point." James said, looking up at his determined friend. Sirius sank down so he was leaning against his own bed and frowned.

            "Yeah, I guess. But it's already done and I can't tell Angela not to mention me when she talks to him – she'll get suspicious. We'll see what happens, maybe he _will_ tell her…" he mused.

            "So, what happened with you, James?" Peter asked, joining them on the ground.

            "A million things. My mum and dad are going into hiding and I'm staying with _you_ this summer, Sirius." James answered bluntly, looking a bit irritated.

            "Er…" Peter uttered, eyes wide.

            "What do you mean they're going into hiding? From Voldemort?" Sirius asked quickly.

            "No, from a wild niffler they found in the attic. Of course, from Voldemort! They claim to not know where they're going but I'm sure that's a load of dung and they're just not telling me. Apparently they're leaving tomorrow, Adrienne too, and I'm staying with Sirius until they can come out." he explained sulkily.

            "Bugger… I'm really sorry, James. You guys can come over to my house whenever you feel like it this summer, you know. But… wow… sorry." Peter comforted, looking astonished and speechless.

            "Why…? Did they tell you _why_ they're going into hiding?" Sirius asked anxiously.

            "They said that they know that things are getting dangerous and they want to make sure they can be safe with Adrienne and all. They figure I'll be at Hogwarts so I'll be safe, and staying with your family will keep me as safe as I would be if I was with them." James answered quickly, blinking several times and pretending to scratch his eyelid while covering up a tear. Peter and Sirius looked away in embarrassment and Peter muttered something about the loo, making a quick exit. Sirius stood up and went about fixing up his bed, making as much noise as possible by "accidentally" stepping on a Muggle plastic shopping bag that was on the floor and dragging it around with his foot. He heard James get into bed and untangled the bag, fixing his own covers.

            "It'll be alright, you know." Sirius paused to say before pulling his trainers out from under his bed.

            "Yeah, I know," came a muffled reply.

"Besides, you're staying with me for the whole summer! Maybe we can get Remus and Peter to stay for a while too." Sirius called, hoping to cheer him up. Peter re-entered the room and looked at James' bed where the curtains were closed tight.

"Yeah, we'll tear down your house…" James called back, half-heartedly.

Sirius sighed and exchanged a worried look with Peter before both of them slumped down to the floor and put on their trainers. There was silence accept for faint shuffling sounds made by the boys as Peter rummaged for James' invisibility cloak in a huge pile of clothing near his bed and Sirius looked through Remus' trunk in search of a clean set of robes for his friend. He had gone in a hurry that night, with no time to prepare for his change as he made for the Whomping Willow under a rapidly disappearing sun, and a brightening full moon.

"What are you doing?" James asked suddenly, opening his curtains to find Peter unfolding (or un-crumpling) his invisibility cloak and Sirius pulling a black robe out of Remus' bureau and then folding it into a knapsack. Sirius and Peter looked at him in surprise.

"Er… Remus…?" Sirius faltered, seeing the uncomprehending expression on James' face. They watched him uneasily.

"Oh yeah," he said after a moment. The expression quickly turned to embarrassment and James stumbled out of bed, "I'm coming too."

"You're sure?" Sirius asked as James fumbled for his glasses on his bedside table and then changed back into the robes lying on the floor.

"Of course, you'll need me to help you," he answered indirectly. Peter shot Sirius a dubious look and shrugged as the three tiptoed out. Before closing the door, Peter grabbed a shrunken Magical First Aid kit and slipped it into his pocket. Just in case.

"Invisibility Cloak?" Sirius whispered when they found themselves outside the portrait hole. James looked around at the empty corridor, where the torchlights had been dimmed. He glanced at his watch and shook his head, no.

"It's 12:45… no one should be out right now," he whispered back and the three figures quietly made their way through the corridors to outside the castle for a night of exploring.

-:- -:- -:-

"I'm going to bed, I ought to catch up on my beauty sleep," Narcissa declared, with a small smile and a light kiss to her fiancée's cheek. Lucius chuckled.

"Goodnight then." He said, watching her climb the stairs to her dorm so gracefully that it looked more like floating. He turned to look at those surrounding him, as most were going up to bed as well. One of them sent him a meaningful glance and stayed behind.

"See you," he called up to the others and each in turn bid him the same.

Severus Snape sat watching him, shifting uneasily in his chair.

"What?" Lucius asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She lied… at dinner, I mean. Ang-your cousin lied to us." Snape muttered quickly, reconsidering having this conversation. He wasn't quite sure why it had struck him as important, or why he kept thinking about dinner, but he wasn't about to look like a fool in front of Malfoy.

Lucius gave him an odd look and laughed.

"Well, that's quite obvious. Of course she would lie, she has no reason to trust me and, well, she probably hates us too." Lucius explained. Severus blushed slightly and set his jaw.

"I _know_ that. I was making sure you realized that she's not to be trusted. Why does she keep sitting with us anyway?" he asked, changing the subject. He had indeed made a fool of himself.

"Simple. Because I asked her to… it's better to make friends than enemies, you know." Lucius advised. Snape smirked at such a statement coming from the boy who'd done nothing but torment students in other houses for the past seven years. 

"Isn't that a bit hypocritical? I mean, haven't we spent the past years going after the Gryffindors… especially the crowd that Heathers hangs around?" Snape braved, curious as to what his friend was driving at.

"Well, keeping up ties with Angela might be useful later on…" Malfoy hinted vaguely.

"I don't see how… if anything, she'll start spying for them." Snape countered.

"Or we could get her to spy for _us_. Tonight was not an entire waste of time, you know. We know now that for whatever reason, Angela did _not_ defend her friends to us… in fact, we didn't even say anything bad about them but _she_ still spoke badly of them. She wasn't even provoked. You see my point?"

"I didn't really think of that. But then… do you know why?" Snape asked interestedly, getting up open the window slightly. The common room fire was making the room feel a bit stuffy.

Lucius shook his head, "I've no idea… but now do you see why we're to stay friendly with her?"

Snape nodded slightly, gazing at the dark green rolling lawns, illuminated by the full moon. Suddenly, he spotted three figures making their way towards the forest… three_ students_. He watched them, about a hundred feet from the outskirts of the woods, aware that Lucius was watching him for a response. "Yeah, I see your point. It's just a pain to have to be nice to a Gryffindor… even if she is your cousin."

Lucius laughed again. Severus hated it when he laughed – he always managed to sound condescending. "Well, it won't be that bad. You're not so much against her as you are against her friends – Potter, Black, Lupin, and the other one… from what I've seen, that is."

            Severus was silent, staring at the three figures, now about halfway down the path from the Castle to the forest. Something glinted as they walked past a sliver of moonlit ground and the figures were thrown into sharp relief, revealed as three boys, one shorter than the other two. Snape's eyes went wide as he recognized the three figures. It was Potter, Black, and Pettigrew… and it was Potter's glasses that had glinted in the moonlight! Once again, they'd out stepped boundaries and set out late at night and Snape was going to figure out where it was they went on those night's he'd been lucky enough to see them. He turned away from the window and quickly started for the exit, forgetting Lucius' presence until he saw the raised eyebrow his abrupt movement provoked.

            "I'm going for a walk," he announced, ignoring his companion's comments as he walked straight through the bare stone wall, marked by two bookshelves on either side that created about 3 feet of space between them. Stealing through the empty corridors, his only thought was that he could finally expose his enemies.

            He grinned.

-:- -:- -:-

            Angela slowly parted the curtains around her bed and checked the time. A quarter to one in the morning, and she hadn't slept a wink There was something clouding her thoughts, something seemingly important that wouldn't let her sink into the sweet depths of slumber… and she had to figure out what it was before she drove herself insane. She sat up gingerly, not wanting the others to wake up, and lightly stepped onto the floor. The full moon's luminous presence cast an almost blinding white light on the floor around the high window, and she was inexplicably drawn to it. 

            She climbed onto the foot-wide ledge and sat with her side leaning against the glass, drawing her knees up to her chest and encircling them with her arms. She needed to single out what it was that was bothering her. That was easy – Remus. 

            Every time she tried to sleep, she kept envisioning his face rippling into focus and a depressing, sorrowful, almost painful feeling welled up in her chest. She looked up at the moon and took note of how clear the sky was tonight, how the moon was truly the center of a vast, dark, sea. She felt as if she was looking at it for the first time.

            Angela closed her eyes and a picture of the moon was painted onto her lids. It, too, seemed to ripple into focus, bleary at first and then increasingly bright. She opened and closed her eyes again. The same moon was still there, but growing lighter and whiter while the navy, star-studded backdrop vanished entirely into a vast expanse of blackness. She could only focus on the very center of the picture that seemed to be glowing and white and she somehow knew that it was hotter than it should be and it suddenly sparked ablaze and she felt like it was about to explode and the white-hot fire burned into the sensitive lining of her lids…

            She gasped and forced her eyes open, reached over to the ice-cold water jug, quickly dipped her hands into it and splashed some into her sore eyes for relief….

            Or _were_ they sore? 

Just a moment ago, she could have sworn someone had pressed burning metal onto her closed eyes, they had hurt so much. 

But now they didn't hurt at all. 

She placed the water jug next to her on the ledge and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Venturing a quick glance at the moon, her silly fears were swept away at seeing that the moon was _not_ on fire. She sighed and looked back at the orb openly, unable to shake the feeling that this had to do with Remus and whatever was keeping her from sleep. She carefully closed her eyes again, ready for any burning, and only saw a strangely-shaped shadow. 

Like everything else she saw, it slowly brought itself into focus and she recognized three animals. The largest was a bright, white, horse-like creature. Next to it posed a menacing black shaggy dog, and at it's heels stood a small rat…

Angela blinked several times and shook her head to get the image out. What the hell was going on? She really needed to get some sleep before she went completely insane. She made to get off the ledge and back into bed but once again, was drawn to the moon. One last look at it couldn't hurt.

She took in its bright beauty and couldn't shake off the feeling that this was extremely important. Something within her, perhaps the very thing that had kept her from sleep, compelled her to shut her eyes again.

This time, she saw the same lumpy shadow, but coming into relief more slowly. The three figures were hard to discern now, as they were a uniform dark gray. Out of nowhere, a figure, an animal larger than the rat, dog, and horse combined leaped onto the first three and—

Everything went black. Angela slowly opened her eyes and going back to bed was the last thing on her mind. Again she was drawn to the moon and the grounds. Something told her to inspect the grounds, and her eyes swept thoroughly over them and stopped at the Whomping Willow where the shadows of three figures were discernable. 

Angela quickly opened the latch of the window and pushed out the panes completely, almost forgetting that she was leaning on them and barely saving herself from a dangerous fall by grabbing onto the ledge with one hand. A great breeze blew into the room and knocked over Isabella's alarm clock with a loud clatter. She held her breath and stared at the five beds, praying that their occupants wouldn't wake. They didn't, and she had a great feeling that no one should know about this… whatever it was.

She turned back to the window and leaned out more so that she was squatting at the edge of the sill. The three figures approached the Willow and she assumed they were boys from their vague frames. One of them ventured closer to the tree and almost got hit in the head before jumping back. The others laughed, their tiny figures shaking with mirth as the victim joined in as well. Then they straightened up and seemed to give each other a signal. They moved into the tree's shadow so the figures themselves were invisible to Angela, but their own shadows still stuck out from the tree's.

She squinted and leaned forward to get a better look and gasped at what she saw as a strong current of air gushed through the window and knocked down the water jug. Ice-cold water spread onto the ledge and crept under her feet just as she instinctively reached out to right the jug…

As Angela slipped, she turned back to the scene outside and the last thing she saw was the boys' shadows morphing into that of a horse, a dog, and a rat. Then, she lost her footing completely and screamed, tumbling down to the very grounds she had been gazing at…

-:- -:- -:-

A/N: Sorry about the delay. I'm not going to give myself any more deadlines because I know I won't be keeping them. Sigh. Well, I wanted to get this out before OotP was released so people would actually read it… let's hope the book doesn't reveal anything that will ruin my plot…. If it does… oh well.

So this is a cliffie, the first real one I've ever used…  I think. If you've read this, please take the time to review it. And if you've noticed, this chapter isn't as long as I'd planned but I had to end it here.

-Ruby


	13. Departure

Chapter 13 - Departure

Snape stumbled down the steps outside the school clutching his robes around him in the biting wind, almost tripping in his insane haste to catch the three figures.  Now out on the grounds, he squinted into the darkness and strained to recognize the boys he'd run out for.  Instinctively, he reached into his pocket for his wand and the spell for lighting it almost escaped his lips before he realized that _he_ might end up getting caught instead.

            Six years of resentment and hatred coursed through him; he was sure he could get them back this time.  Whatever they did must be very important or, and he thought this was more likely, just arrogant and reckless…  The first time he'd seen them had been at the beginning of the year, when, coincidentally, he happened to be pouring himself a glass of water near the window in his dormitory and one of the figures was running back up to the castle.  After much investigation and a few more sightings, he realized they did this regularly, about once a month, but it was always unclear which three of them it was…

            He couldn't see them yet and scowled in frustration.  Looking around him, he realized he was walking straight through the middle of the lawns and though he himself could not see Potter and his gang, _they _could possibly see him and run.  He walked straight up to the line of needled bushes that surrounded the stone exterior of the castle and climbed behind one, relieved and slightly suspicious to see that between the long line of hedge and the walls of Hogwarts, there was enough space for a full grown man to walk comfortably through, like an exclusive path.  Snape took this opportunity to creep along the walls as they got closer to the forest, deciding that tonight, he would not follow them completely, but just make sure where they were going exactly.  He had three ideas: either they went to the forest, took a path past the forest into Hogsmeade, or went to that oaf, Hagrid's hut.  He knew that they were friendly with the stupid groundskeeper.

            Finally, he spotted them.  They were walking closer and closer to the edge, but seemed to be veering slightly to the left.  He watched with bated breath and raw satisfaction at seeing them laughing and pushing each other.  The merrier they were, the easier it would be to catch them when he did… _Which would _not_ be tonight_, he reminded himself quickly.  He didn't know what he was dealing with exactly, and he'd been ridiculed and humiliated by Potter too many times to take even the smallest risk.  This was his prize.

            To his surprise, the figures stopped right in front of the Whomping Willow, the sinister tree that everyone was warned to stay away from!  _Oh, this'll be good,_ he thought, _sneaking off at night to have a go at a tree_.  How very pathetic.  He even snorted aloud.

            Potter and his gang were standing in front of the tree, talking to each other, which he guessed from their gestures.  One of them darted toward the tree and almost got hit in the head by a thick branch.  He hoped it was Potter.  Or Black.  His friends were laughing and soon the one who was almost hit joined in too.  They stopped and looked at each other…

            Snape heard a crash from above him and looked up sharply just as a small splash of ice-cold water hit his face.  He yelped as a large drop had plopped right into his eye and clutched his face just as a shrill scream issued from above.  Something was hurtling right at him, he saw in the uncovered eye, and he clumsily threw a leg over the bush, placing his hands on the spiky needles to roll onto the other side when he was crushed under a painful weight.  With him breaking the fall, the two rolled right off the bush and Snape's face was painfully buried in the grass.  Something cracked…

-:- -:- -:-

            "Oh my God, oh my God!" Lily yelled frantically, trying to open the damned hangings around her bed.  It was so dark she couldn't find the slit.  Her fingers clumsily felt the hemmed opening and pulled it open to see Isabella leap out of her bed and to the window.  She shrieked in horror and Lily fell right to the floor, legs tangled in her bedclothes.

            "What happened?  Was that Angela?  Izzy!  What happened??" she yelled at the figure in front of the window, shadowed by the moonlight.  Isabella seemed petrified for moment while Lily got to her feet.  Suddenly she ran for the door, hurriedly putting on her slippers on the way.  Lily stared after her, "Izzy!!!"

            Giselle, Charisma, and Vanessa were tugging their hangings open and pulled themselves out in a panic to see Lily at the window.

            "Who screamed?  What happened?" Giselle cried, looking disoriented while Charisma hastily got out of bed and Vanessa paled and looked as if she couldn't move.  Lily turned away and stuffed her wand into her pajama pocket, roughly putting her slippers on just as Isabella had.  She ran to the door and glanced back to see Charisma already at the window, looking shocked.  She turned around and their eyes met.

            "Call McGonagall, quick!" Lily ordered with a pleading expression.  Charisma nodded at once and made for the door herself while Lily ran down the stairs into the common room, skidding to a halt to stop herself from smacking into the wall.  She regretted putting on her fluffy, furry slippers now that she was walking on the smooth stone floor.  She crawled quickly out of the portrait hole and ran to the corner of the corridor, catching a quick glimpse of Isabella turning the corner…

            She ran faster, turning the same corner to see Izzy halfway down the corridor, going who-knows-where.

            "Izzy!!  Wait!  Where are you going?" she managed to yell.  Isabella stopped and bent with her hands on her knees, panting and apparently giving her time to catch up.  She did and slid to a stop, Izzy catching her arm to stop her from falling.

            "I was… going… to Dumbledore… but I just realized… I don't know… the password…" Isabella panted.  Lily nodded in understanding (she didn't think she could do much more than pant) and grabbed Isabella's arm, bringing them to a staircase at the end of the corridor.  They sprinted down and Isabella was giving her a puzzled look.

            "This isn't the way to the office… and I know _you_ know the password, right?" she asked and they jumped to the landing and ran past a suit of armor in the second floor.

            "Yeah but Pomfrey's a better bet… she's closer in case Angie's…" Lily broke off. Isabella nodded quickly.

            After another flight of stairs, they finally reached the Hospital Wing and rapped on it until they heard quick footsteps and a light switched on behind the door.

            "Charisma's calling McGonagall," Lily whispered to Isabella as faint, disgruntled muttering reached their ears.

            "Okay, good," she replied with a hint of relief.  The door swung open and Madame Pomfrey stood staring at their panting figures, pajama-clad like herself.  She looked worried at first, as if she was expecting someone else but then she flared her nostrils and set her jaw.  Lily and Isabella flinched.

            "Now what on _earth_ could have happened to you at one o'clock in the morning?"

-:- -:- -:-

            Angela woke up to a bellowed conversation above her and she winced.  Whoever was speaking was being very loud and it took her a moment to realize that it was Lily and Isabella.  It took her another moment to realize that she was lying on a bed and, with yet another jolt to bring her closer to consciousness, that she had just fallen out of Gryffindor Tower and she was _not _dead.

Angela tried to stretch, but to her surprise she couldn't.  There was a strange stiffness in her leg, and she felt as weak as a child when she tried to move.  She tried to make a fist with her right hand but could barely curl her fingers.  She tried harder, this time actually listening to the conversation that was throbbing in her ears…

            "… maybe once Pomfrey lets us out, we can go to the lake… Lucky it's a Saturday."

            "Yeah, I know… our teachers would go crazy… not to mention the rumors…"

            "… that are already out!  People are actually talking more because it's a Saturday, didn't you see all those Ravenclaws outside—"

            "Shut up!  I think she moved!" One of them pushed her hair out of her face and she finally opened her eyes.  Lily and Isabella were leaning over her anxiously.

            "Oh!  You're awake!  How do you feel?" Lily asked quietly, though it sounded loud.  Angela tried to stretch again and failed.

            "Not good.  I can't bloody move!" she said, almost cracking her neck at an effort to turn her head while her legs rose about an inch off the bed every time she tried to kick.  Isabella grabbed her shoulders.

            "Stop moving!  Hold on, I'll go call Pomfrey…" At the contemptuous look that Angela shot her for this comment, she added apologetically, "She said you'd be stiff when you woke up because of that bone-fixing potion, whatever it's called, and the sleeping potion and their reaction to each other or something and she wanted us to call her—"

            "Okay, okay, just don't go yet.  And keep it down, my ears are throbbing!" Angela interrupted irritably as Isabella's voice seemed to ricochet off her brain.  She screwed up her face and clenched her teeth until the throbbing stopped and Lily and Isabella watched her, looking a bit frightened.

            "What exactly… er… what were you doing last night?" Lily whispered cautiously.  Angela wasn't sure whether she was being sensitive to her hearing or trying to throw off eavesdroppers.  Either way, the tone was much more tolerable and her irritation ebbed away at how concerned her friends seemed to be.

            "Last night?  Oh!  I _have_ to talk to you guys about that.  The weirdest thing happened—"

            "Thought you'd get a breath of fresh air and you fell out the window?" Isabella said sarcastically.  She immediately bit her lip and looked apologetic, avoiding Lily's glare.

            Angela almost laughed at how close she was to the truth.  Or at least the gist of it. "It's okay, I'll tell you once we're out of here.  But… er... could you guys just tell me what happened after I fell?  I mean, I should be dead by now considering it's Gryffindor tower…"

            "Yeah, you're real lucky that you fell and landed right on top of—"

            "Snape!" Isabella finished in a loud whisper, interrupting Lily's explanation with a grin on her face. "He was standing right outside the tower, probably preparing to woo you into his sexy Slytherin arms when - bam! - you gave him just what he wanted!"

            "Oh, shut up!  That's disgusting… how could you say that, Iz?  Anyway, Lily, continue." Angela said quickly, a bit disturbed by this unexpected turn of events.  Lily was giggling and red in the face with trying to suppress her laughter as she praised a grinning Isabella with a high five.

            "Good one… anyway.  Due to your incessant shrieking while you tumbled down to the grounds, Izzy here woke up and left the dorm to find Dumbledore.  Then, I told Charisma to call McGonagall and ran after Izzy and we decided it was better to go to Pomfrey because she's closer in case you got hurt or something.  I didn't know you fell on anyone, let alone Snape.  I don't think Izzy did either…" Lily said, looking to Isabella for confirmation.

            "Yeah, I had no idea… when I looked out the window, I just saw you sprawled on the ground and ran for it.  So then Pomfrey, me and Lily ran out and found you sprawled on the ground, but on top of Snape, who's lying in that bed right there," Isabella pointed to a bed on her left before continuing. "You seemed to have fainted on your way down, or else got knocked out from the fall or something.  Anyhow, you were unconscious with a broken wrist that you landed on and a dislocated shoulder I think…"

            "And poor Snape… he was unconscious of course, but he had a bloodied up broken nose from landing on his face and some broken ribs.  He's not going to forgive you anyti— "

            "Ahem." Someone cleared their throat from behind and Isabella and Lily slowly turned around and gasped.  They leapt back from Angela's bed on which they had been half-sitting, half-leaning, blocking her view of the doorway that just now clicked shut…

            Albus Dumbledore stood in front of the closed door, looking at them with a small smile on his face.

            "Good morning Miss Evans, Miss Rey," he greeted the gaping pair cheerfully.  Lily shut her mouth and smiled.

            "Good morning Professor Dumbledore…" she said quickly, feeling foolish.  After all, she had much more exposure to Dumbledore than the others, being a prefect…

            "Morning, sir… er... lovely weather, huh?" Isabella said with a weak smile.  Was Angela in _that_ much trouble?

            "Lovely indeed.  Ideal for a stroll on the grounds… In fact, why don't you two enjoy a delicious breakfast by the lake and take a rest in the shade while I have a word with Miss Heathers?" he proposed kindly, conjuring a blue chintz armchair next to Angela's bed, not noticing the horrified look on her face at his doing so.  She gestured wildly at Isabella and Lily to stay while Dumbledore continued to smile at them.  They were slowly backing away towards the exit, as if his smile was a deadly weapon they were rushing away from, but then caught Angela's eye and stopped.

            "Er… Professor Dumbledore?" Lily asked slowly, thinking hard of a possible question.

            "Yes, Miss Evans?" he replied, raising his head expectantly.

            "Er… I… uh… I was wondering… erm…" Lily stuttered, lapsing into silence.  Isabella watched her with a pained expression.

            "She was just wondering er… if Angela was going to be in trouble!" she said, blurting out the foremost thing on her mind.  Angela rolled her eyes but anxiously watched Dumbledore's reaction.  That was, of course, the first thing on her mind right now as well… this was the first time in her years at Hogwarts that Dumbledore had actually asked for her or came to see her.  It wasn't often that even a student in the hospital wing received such attention, and this probably meant that she was in trouble.  She tried to calm herself with the thought that, technically, she had done nothing wrong, and also that perhaps she could actually tell him something…

            Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at Lily and Isabella, both of whom were fidgeting nervously. "I believe that is to be determined after I speak with Miss Heathers." His answer sounded quite ominous to Angela and Isabella and Lily shuffled out of the room quickly, with a last sympathetic glance at her.

            Dumbledore turned and sat down in the chair as he asked, "I hear your friends were quite concerned.  How are you feeling?"

            "Er… good, I supposed… a bit of a headache…" she said quietly, not quite ready to complain of all the ailments she was feeling to the headmaster.

            "Anything else?" he asked, as if knowing exactly what she'd been thinking.

            "Er… no, not really… actually, my ears… everything sounds really loud…" she answered nervously.

            "And you don't feel a bit stiff?" he asked knowingly.  _He's reading my mind_, was the first thought that came to her.

            "Er… yes, I suppose… but Isabella said it's supposed to feel that way because of some potions Madame Pomfrey gave me last night and how they're reacting or something…" she stopped when she realized how ineloquent she sounded.  She opened her mouth to speak again but he cut her off with a grim smile.

            "We have some pressing matters to discuss, Miss Heathers, but first I shall call Madame Pomfrey to see that you're fit.  I will return when she is finished.  Poppy!" he called, standing up without another glance and walking towards Madame Pomfrey's office.  The door opened quickly and Madame Pomfrey bustled out, stopping in her tracks when she saw Dumbledore.  He gave her a whispered explanation (which, even with her sensitive hearing, Angela could not pick up) that ended with his humming and lodging himself in her office and Madame Pomfrey's bustling towards her.  She changed her course however, and walked to the bed on her left.  Angela tried to turn her head as much as she could to follow what she did but only succeeded in moving about an inch.  Still, she caught a glimpse of Snape's skinny form under the covers before Madame Pomfrey closed the curtains around him, pulled out her wand, and muttered a spell.

            As she sipped the smoking blue potion Madame Pomfrey held to her mouth while wiping the bedside table of some spilled water, she felt a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach that slowly seemed to branch all throughout her body.  Suddenly she could move again and she smiled and tried to stretch her arms high over her head but Madame Pomfrey clucked her tongue without looking at her.

            "Can't stretch them yet, not after that fall…" she muttered as she twisted Angela's wrist and pulled each finger in turn herself, cracking them painfully as she did so.  Angela had a feeling that less damage would have been done if she'd simply stretched.

            "Er… when can I leave?" she asked the matron, watching as she closed the bottle of smoky blue potion she'd just drank.  Madame Pomfrey tapped the wall to the left of her bed where a cabinet appeared and she put it away.  She wiped her hands on her apron and finally made eye contact with her, giving her a nervous smile.

            "We'll see," she said after a moment, turning to get Dumbledore.  This was by far the scariest answer she had ever received from Madame Pomfrey.

            Dumbledore now appeared at the foot of her bed.  Angela decided to tell him exactly what had happened the night before, before he would have a chance to punish her for… well, no reason.  He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off:

            "Dumbledore– I mean, Professor Dumbledore– please, I'd like to tell you the truth about what happened because I swear, I don't think I did anything to get myself into trouble—"

            "No, you did not, Miss Heathers.  There is no reason for you to worry about punishments you do not deserve, but your story is still of interest to me and I rather hope I will learn that you did not act intentionally last night…" Dumbledore said.  He finally made use of that chintz chair by settling into it and neatly folding his hands in his lap.  Angela made to sit up and the pillows behind her head automatically settled themselves against the headboard to cushion her back.  She opened her mouth several times to speak but could not think of where to begin…

            "Well… er… last night, something peculiar happened.  I think it was about one o'clock in the morning, and I couldn't sleep… But that wasn't the weird part…"

            "You often have trouble sleeping, Angela?" Dumbledore gently probed after Angela trailed off into a moment silence.  She didn't know if it was just an after-effect of all the potions she'd taken or if some element of her subconscious did not want her to tell her story but though she had a distinct idea of what she wanted to say, the right words seemed to evade her.  Still, Dumbledore's prompting question was helpful.

            "Yes, yes I do…" she answered.  She wasn't sure whether she should add the fact that—

            "On nights you are especially emotional or have you noticed no particular pattern?" he asked omnisciently, making the decision for her.

            "When I'm mad, or sad, or—yeah, emotional I guess.  Usually I just can't sleep and I…" She realized hat she had never revealed this to anyone before and took a deep breath before plunging on, "I get this feeling, like something's coming or sometimes I feel like there's something really important that I'm forgetting or missing… and sometimes I can't get my mind off of something and I feel really angry or sad or just… hollow. I can't really explain it but it's not just plain sad, or depressed… like… what I'm trying to say is that I know it's not _normal_." She paused and when Dumbledore nodded for her to go on, she was grateful that he was taking her seriously. "So—so usually when I feel that way, I try to get rid of it by… you know, trying to focus on other things and I can eventually fall asleep but other times… like, just a few weeks ago when it happened, I actually tried to figure out _what _I couldn't remember and whenever I closed my eyes, all I saw was a bright red light… the kind you see when the sun's in your eyes or there's light right in front of your face except it was night and pitch dark in the room…  Last night something like that happened again…" Angela paused to revel in the utter relief she felt at having gotten all of that off her chest.  It was easier to explain herself now and she was glad Dumbledore was here to listen, though he was gazing intently at the bed to her right, a finger on his chin and frowning in thought.

            "I imagine that last night it was not only a reddish light you saw?" he asked, still staring at the bed.

            Angela nodded, though he would not see it, "I had that feeling again… the sad one, but it was more like sorrow or pity, I don't know which, but I got up and went to the window and when I closed my eyes, I saw the moon… it was a full moon last night, and that's what I kept seeing except that after a while, it was really weird, it sort of _burnt_.  I felt like my eyelids were scorched or something so I opened them.  Then when I closed them again… I saw a shape, or a figure…" Angela stopped.  She had purposefully excluded that with those feelings of sorrow had come images of Remus and a detailed description of the three animals seemed unnecessary as well.  She was happy enough that Dumbledore hadn't laughed out loud at a story her friends would have thought absurd.

            "You saw nothing else?" Dumbledore asked, a startlingly serious expression on his face.  Angela shook her head, carefully holding onto his piercing gaze with her own.  He nodded after a moment and continued, "What you have just described to me, Angela, is a matter that can become one of great consequence in your future and I would advise that you keep it to yourself for now.  We must discuss this further, and you shall be informed of a date… In the mean time, I must stress again that you _keep this to yourself_."

            "I will." Angela answered quickly.  It wasn't as if anyone would believe the conclusion she knew Dumbledore was getting at with this "matter".  Without thinking she blurted out, "You believe me then?"

            The headmaster gave her a small smile and with a twinkle in his eye replied, "Yes, I do believe your story… though there is still the matter of how you fell out of that window."

-:- -:- -:-

            Angela was released from the hospital wing just after Dumbledore had left her side and three days later, there were still rumors all around; either Hogwarts was experiencing a dry spell concerning gossip or the incident itself was larger than she'd imagined.  Because of these rumors, Angela felt it was necessary that she tell Isabella and Lily the truth, despite Dumbledore's advice and to her relief, after hearing how Dumbledore had reacted to her explanation (including his warning), they accepted it, though they were still shocked.  She had thoughts that the boys would badger her about details as well and had begun to worry about lying to them but to her surprise, they didn't ask twice about how she'd fallen.  They seemed worried about something else rather than her mental state and kept asking if she'd seen anything on the grounds that night and why Snape had been outside in the first place, as if she would know.

            Altogether, it had been a stressful week for all of them.  Exams were just a few days away and in between studying, Isabella and Lily encountered a new batch of girls who constantly followed them around, trying to befriend them for their gossip while Angela dealt with pitying, fearful, accusing or disgusted looks everywhere she went, depending on whichever story that particular person believed.  Not to mention the whispers and surreptitious edging away of chairs.  She felt especially sorry for Remus as he had to deal with word of the supposed nightly escapades between her and Snape and the countless 'so-and-so caught them snogging in the dungeons' stories.  He took surprisingly well to the embarrassing taunts and usually ignored them while she huffed and puffed.

            Isabella had suggested they go to the library and look up what they didn't know from the outline they'd received for their History of Magic exam, which turned out to be about half of the topics listed.  Lily declined the offer, as she'd saved most of her assignments, essays, and notes but Angela came along.  They edged around the History section in search of a table and unable to find one, came across a row that held the books they were looking for.  Isabella went straight for a shelf towards the end of the row, actually in the library for the right reason.  Angela followed, consulting the list they'd made in the common room of topics they were behind on.  She heard whispers coming from a table behind the shelf and was almost certain they were about her. Exasperated, she was determined not to listen, even if she was getting closer to them. 

            "Shh! I think I just saw her!"

            "Where?"

            "There, by that shelf."

            "Oh!  Oh, don't worry.  She can't hear us from over there.  Anyway, like I was saying, I think she was trying to run away with Snape!"

            "Run away?  Nah, I think they were probably just trying to meet up or something… I still don't see why it would be _Snape_."

            "It _is_ weird, but then if you think about it, she's been sitting with the Slytherins a lot lately.  I thought it might have been because of Craig Pierce, but I guess I was—"

            "Shut up!  She's coming closer!  Er…uh… I… uh… So, how about that essay for McGonagall?"

            "She can_not_ hear us."

            "Actually, I can.  And for your information, it was _not_ a suicide attempt!" Angela said in a voice as dignified as she could muster, from behind the shelf.  The girls stared at the bookshelf, more bewildered than startled, before quickly gathering their belongings and departing.  Angela walked over and dropped her books on to it.

            "There, I found us a table."

            Isabella looked up from her book and shook her head. "That was wrong, Angie."

            Angela stared at her for a moment, not sure she'd heard her correctly.  As if to assure her, Isabella closed her book and shot her a disapproving look.

            "_What?_ How was that wrong?  They're the ones constantly gossiping about what's clearly none of their business and they can't even get the story right!  _They're_ spreading rumors about _me_ and you think _I'm_ wrong?!" Angela exclaimed furiously.

            Isabella calmly set down her bag and pulled out a chair. "No… I think you're wrong because those were the Ravenclaws who think you were trying to run away with Snape.  The Hufflepuffs down _there_ say you were going for suicide.  Honestly, Angie, if you're going to interrupt dramatically, at least _listen_ to the conversation first."

-:- -:- -:-

            As the end of the year came to a close, certain persons were extremely relieved while others, as usual, felt that farewells had arrived too soon.  Among the former were Isabella, Lily and Remus, along with the minority of the year that looked forward to trips abroad or simply a leisurely summer.  The rest of their group seemed to collaborate on creating a depressed atmosphere in the common room.  It was no surprise that Angela was brooding, she was always inclined to recount to anyone who would listen how suppressive and boring her household was when summer arrived, and Isabella always managed to annoy her by exclaiming how lucky she was.

            "And I can't stand wearing those big frilly dress robes whenever any company comes over - even to speak to the bloody gardener I have to be dressed _proper_," she had complained one evening.

            "What happens if you don't?" Lily asked, more to humor her friend than because she was interested.

            "The house elves come after you and shove you into a dressing room and do it themselves."

            "Really?  Do they just conjure a dressing room or do you always have one nearby?  That sounds so convenient!  I always end up looking disgusting when people visit on short notice.  I wish _we_ had house elves." Isabella replied with a sigh.

            "They're not all that fun." Sirius muttered darkly.  He also added to the gloom, though the girls couldn't imagine why.  Sirius had come to spend a lot of time by himself, hardly engaging in conversation with anyone save James, Remus, and Peter.  His admirers across the school were generally disappointed, as they no longer received the mischievous smile or wriggling brow in reply to their greetings.

            "I haven't been to your house in a long time," Isabella observed after a moment of silence in which she stared at Sirius and Sirius stared at the floor.  She had been particularly annoyed with him in the past week, taking it as a personal offense that he wouldn't tell her why he was so upset.

            "I know, I should have you over.  A sleepover maybe, or you all can spend a week at my house.  We certainly have the room," Angela suggested thoughtfully.

            Lily perked up at this. "That would be great!  I mean, I'm looking forward to the summer since I haven't seen a lot of my friends in a year and all, but still, it wouldn't hurt to be away from Petunia for a while."

            "Petunia?  Oh yeah, your sister.  Yeah, I'd like to see some people too... would _we _be invited to this sleepover too, Angie?" Remus asked, attaching the letter he'd been writing to his parents, containing his exam results for this year, to the leg of an owl.

            "Why not?  The more the better, it'd get boring with just Lily and Izzy for days cooped up in _my_ house."

            "Your parents wouldn't mind?" Sirius asked, looking more roused by this news than he had all week.

            "I don't _think_ so." Angela answered uncertainly, "I mean, we'd have separate rooms–"

            "Oh, darn."

            "–And my father usually has no idea what's going on in the household unless it's business.  And Mum would just be annoying as usual."

            "Good.  Maybe we can stay for _three _weeks, then." Sirius said hopefully.

            "What are _you _so excited for?  You'll be spending the entire summer with James anyway, having loads of fun climbing trees and whatever else you all do together.  It's the rest of us that'll be busy for the first week and dead bored from then on." Isabella pointed out.

            "I was _joking_." he replied without humor, and the group fell silent again.  A few minutes later James appeared at the foot of the stairs leading to their dormitories.  He looked around the common room for a moment before walking over to them to settle in a seat.  It was the first time in almost two months that they were all seated together.

"Well, I'm all packed.  Pete, you'd better get a move on... you're usually done with your bags days early." he said, giving Peter's shoulder a shake to wake him from where he'd dozed off in his pouf.

"Huh?  Wha...?  Yes, yes, I'll pack tonight," Peter replied blearily.

"What are you, his mother?" Isabella asked, looking incredulous.  James had become a strange mix of seriousness and obscurity ever since his mother had visited the school.  The rest of them realized that whatever had been her reason for coming was also the cause of his grief, while anyone else who was curious believed it to be Charisma's departure.  They were especially worried about him as the results of their final exams showed a surprising, if not sharp, drop in his final exam grades.  While it was usually he and Lily who battled for the top marks, this year Lily's competitor was a Ravenclaw, Morris Boot, then her friend Remus, and after him, Severus Snape.  James had thus fallen from his usual spot at number one or two, to number five in their year.  It would not affect his cumulative average much considering the consistency of his marks from his first year and onward, but it showed his friends how grave whatever bothered him was.

"What would you say that for?  I'm only reminding him.  I mean, the train _leaves_ tomorrow," he replied sullenly.  Lily and Isabella exchanged amused looks, and Remus, after looking at each of his friends with raised eyebrows, shared a smirk with them.

Their corner of the common room fell silent once more.

-:- -:- -:-

            Isabella glanced at her watch as she felt the train begin to slow down.  From the clouds visible from their compartment it looked as if a heavy storm were approaching.  Angela was sloppily stuffing the last of the pumpkin pasties and exploding chocolate newts into her mouth and while doing so, she pointed to the rumpled heap on the floor and signaled to Isabella.  Isabella in turn reached over and shook Lily until she roused herself enough to slap her hand away.  She had fallen off of her seat hours ago and as it hadn't affected their friend's deep sleep, the others had been content with watching her roll with the occasional bump in their ride.

            "What time is it?" she asked presently, sitting up and looking puzzled at her position on the floor.

            "It's four-thirty.  That means you've been asleep for about five and a half hours." Isabella informed her.  They had all taken naps on the ride home, as the night before had been spent in a last sleepover.  Each had tucked some dessert into her bag at dinner (since no form of persuasion could convince the boys to show them how to get to the kitchens) and, after setting up a cozy bed of all their sheets and pillows combined between their four-posters, the three girls had settled down with their fattening snacks and talked for hours into the night after making sure their other roommates were asleep.

            "Ugh.  No wonder I'm so hungry," she replied, throwing a longing look at the various empty wrappers scattered on the seats of their compartment.  Angela, in the process of unwrapping the last Cauldron Cake, passed it to Lily and wiped her fingers on the napkins the lady with the serving cart had provided.  The train came to a halt and the three reached under the seats to pull out their trunks.  The nifty lightening spell Lily had discovered the year before worked just as well for this journey and the girls had no trouble pulling their heavy-looking baggage.  Angela had just pulled her things out of their compartment when Charisma entered.  She enveloped her in an awkward hug and did the same for Isabella.

            "I'll miss you all so much!  Thanks to you, it's been a great year!" she exclaimed while the girls stared disbelievingly at her, "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like a word with Lily."

            "Sure," Isabella replied, pushing Angela completely out of the compartment.  Charisma reached over and closed the door behind them.  She sat down while Lily tried to look more composed than alarmed.

            "You may be surprised that I'm in here.  After all, I _have_ been avoiding you for the most part since I found out I wouldn't be coming back to Hogwarts.  I figured you'd provoke me or something.  And then there was the issue of James getting involved, and I know he's been pretty upset lately - on account of my leaving, of course.  Also, when I thought back, I realized that I think I might have provoked you _some_ of the time."

            Lily was too astonished at the possibility of an _apology_ from Charisma to speak.

             "Basically, I want to leave on good terms with everyone, and that includes you." Charisma paused, as if expecting thanks from her confused companion. "So, well, I'm sorry."

            A moment of silence passed where Lily felt satisfied with Charisma's attitude: the very fact that she had acknowledged her adverse behavior towards Lily these past months seemed enough.  But just when she felt that a small weight had finally slid off her shoulders, she realized that a quick acceptance of this apology would be much too charitable.

            "For _what_, exactly?" Lily asked, recognizing the opportunity for inflicting guilt Charisma had just opened.

            "What am I apologizing for?" Charisma asked in reply, looking a bit startled.

            "Yes.  Are you just apologizing so we'll be on so-called good terms or because you really felt you wronged me?" Lily inquired, feeling very proud of her direct style of questioning.

            "Oh Lily, you're really being ungracious here…" Charisma said with a small smile.

            "Ungracious?  How am I being ungracious?  I only want to know if you really mean your apology."

            "Alright.  I mean my apology and I'm willing to forget whatever happened between us.  Now it's your turn."

            "_My_ turn?  What?  What should I apologize for?" Lily cried incredulously.

            "Hmm… how about that time you _ruined_ my hair?" Charisma retorted.

            "That was your fault!  You _gave_ me that potion to use on _my_ hair!" Lily yelled, looking livid.  She noticed someone's shadow stop at the door of their compartment and tried to keep her voice down.  She took a deep breath and silently counted to ten before speaking again. "Look, Charisma.  I don't understand why you bothered to come here.  You said that you've been avoiding me for the past few weeks because you thought I would provoke you, right?  Well that's what just happened except _you_, with your stupid, insincere, apology decided to- to- to- _irritate_ me!  No normal human being—"

            "_I_ came here to irritate _you_?  If you weren't so bloody confrontational and so ready to pick a fight with anyone who dares to cross your royal—"

            "I did _not_ pick a fight with you, _ever_!  It was always, _always_ you and you just did it again right now!  I can't believe you thought you could just stroll in here and give me some lousy, two-faced apology for all that you've had me deal with the last few months!  How could anyone in their right mind have expected me to actually reciprocate?" Lily shouted.

            "_Again_ with your snotty, high-and-mighty attitude.  I _meant_ well, Lily!  I had the decency to attempt coming to some sort of truce with you, which you clearly do _not_ deserve.  But of course, _Queen_ Lily can't be bothered with such scruples, right?  _Queen_ Lily can't be brought down to making _apologies_ because she's too bloody belligerent to have any idea what _honor_ or _civility_ means."

            "Don't you dare call _me_ belligerent when you've instigated every stupid, pointless fight we've had!  You were on my case from the beginning, Charisma, and you never had any reason to be!"

            "Reason?  What _are_ you talking about?  I was _not_ on your _case_ from the beginning, and your memory must be extremely foggy if you don't remember that I treated you the same way I did _everyone_ else.  I tolerated the fact that you flirted with my boyfriend at every turn, and always when I _wasn't_ there!"

            "There's a bloody difference between flirting and talking to your friends, and of course I had to talk to him when you weren't around.  Whenever you _were_ there, you were all over him!"

            "And you were _jealous_, weren't you?" Charisma retorted acidly.

            "Why the hell would I be jealous?  I don't like James and I never have!  Ugh, I'm not going to start with this since your idiotic little brain can't wrap itself around the concept anyway.  I had never met such a self-absorbed, inconsiderate, stubborn, and downright _mean_ person in my life until _you_ came to Hogwarts—"

            "I'm not going to stand here and listen to a stupid _mudblood_ insult me!  I can't believe I even bothered to come here right now.  I should have known you wouldn't know what to make of a polite peace offering!"

            "How can you call _this_ a peace offering after you just called me a mudblood?  I don't know what you were even doing in Gryffindor when conniving, scheming, selfish people like you are born with free tickets to Slyth—"

            "_What_ is going on in here?" The compartment door was open and a small crowd had gathered in the passageway.  Remus stood at the front, his prefect badge gleaming, staring angrily at the two red-faced, seething girls.  Apparently he had been making his round around the compartments, helping the younger students with their luggage and making sure everyone was out of the train.

            "Nothing, Remus.  _Charisma_ was just leaving," Lily answered after a moment of silence.  The crowd began to break up as people lost interest in them at seeing the lack of scratches or blood from a real fight.  Charisma stalked to the exit, throwing Remus a winning smile, and turned at the door.

            "I wish you luck in the future, Lily.  You'll need it in the world _we're_ getting into," she said coldly before leaving.  Remus was giving Lily an uncomfortably calculating stare while he leaned against the doorway.  To avoid him, she turned and picked up her luggage.  She took a deep breath before turning around again and, as if nothing had just happened, she smiled at him as she left the compartment. 

            "Thanks for er… taking care of the rounds," she remembered to say.

            "No problem.  Well, actually I was going to throw a fit at having to break up _two_ second-year fights without a partner," he replied, walking with her to the door of the neighboring compartment.

            "That bad, huh?"

            "Yup, and it should explain my barging into your own argument so rudely.  I really didn't think the two of you would have another go at it this year though," he said, trying to pry out some information in spite of himself.

            "Yes, well obviously we did.  Do you mind if I abandon you again?  It a lousy excuse but I don't quite feel up to being around here anymore." With a parting hug, Lily jumped off the train to find Angela and Isabella waiting for her, looking anxious.

            "What happened?  We just saw Charisma come out with the angriest look on her face," Angela said, watching her closely.  Lily laughed, suddenly happy that Charisma was not as composed as she'd seemed when she issued her farewell.

            "I have never seen her so _red_.  And of course James rushed up and they hugged and kissed as acted as if it were the end of the world and finally she left.  James went back inside to finish his rounds… which reminded us of how you didn't do yours." Isabella said with a raised eyebrow.

            Lily sighed. "I'll owl you about it when I go home.  I should go find my parents, they get deathly nervous waiting at the station, staring at the wall-entrance by themselves." They found a cart for Lily and the three pushed out of the Magical world and into the Muggle.  Isabella spotted her parents and her brother, and with stifling hugs and promises to write (and threats to anyone who didn't reply) she left them.  Lily saw her mother and father in the distance and waved to them.  Behind them sat a large, glossy black limousine with a uniformed driver standing rigidly by the passenger door.  She nudged Angela and saw the look of recognition pass her face as she gave the sight a wry smile.

            "Of course," she muttered and the two walked in the same direction towards their guardians.

            "Remember to write," Angela reminded her with a smile as the chauffeur opened the door for her. "And tell us all the juicy details of your Charisma row."

            "I will, I will. And you better invite us to that sleepover and tell us about all your exciting rich people adventures," Lily replied laughingly.  She gave her a last hug and watched the limousine drive to a traffic light and suddenly disappear before joining her own family.


End file.
